Canelo Alvarez's team is in talks with Bob Arum and Top Rank about putting together a WBC middleweight title fight with Miguel Cotto. Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya is intent on making the fight happen on May 2 as well, challenging the pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. on a date that typically belongs to him.
"There is no secret here that Canelo Alvarez wants to fight in May, on May 2. Now if Mayweather wants to fight, it must be April or June perhaps," De La Hoya said.
Mayweather is more established than Alvarez, is the sport's proven top draw, and has even defeated Alvarez head-to-head. However, Alvarez vs. Cotto is a more compelling matchup than anyone on Mayweather's radar, excluding Manny Pacquiao, and competing on the same night will severely damage both fighters' purses.
A bout with Cotto is not set in stone, but both Arum and De La Hoya have expressed major interest in making it happen and are already discussing the terms.
"The good thing is that we started the talks. I'll be talking to Bob Arum in the next two days, we will sit down and hopefully this fight is done. First we must finalize the details of business of the fight, then grab the date of May 2."
Alvarez jumped ship from Showtime back to HBO largely because of his desire to compete on Cinco De Mayo weekend as well as the weekend of Mexican Independence Day. He has personally stated he will not back off those dates, regardless of whether or not Mayweather fights on the same night.
"As I've said and I'll say it again. I am going to fight on May 2 and I'm not going to move from the date. Everything being maneuvered is to fight on May 2 and September 12, and I'm not going to back away from those dates for nothing," Alvarez said during a radio interview in Mexico.
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