CANELO ALVAREZ is close to announcing his next fight after a deal was struck with Avni Yildirim.
The Mexican superstar, 30, will face Yildirim on February 27 in Miami in a mandatory defence of his WBC title.
Canelo Alvarez pictured with Avni Yildirim
According to The Athletic, Eddie Hearn will promote the event at the Hard Rock Stadium.
It will allow the promoter to then work on a unification between Canelo and WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders.
Hearn worked with the four-division champion in December when he dominated Callum Smith.
Canelo’s lopsided points win earned him the WBC and WBA super-middleweight titles as well as the Ring Magazine belt.
But, immediately after the WBC gave Alvarez 90 days to agree a defence against 29-year-old Turk Yildirim.
It put any unification plans with Saunders, 31, or Caleb Plant, 28, on the shelve.
But it is understood should Canelo win, Hearn will then look to have Saunders fight the pound-for-pound king in the summer.
Billy Joe Saunders wants to fight Canelo Alvarez Credit: ©Mark Robinson/Matchroom
The pair were set to fight last May and June, until the coronavirus pandemic KO’d the headliner.
Instead, Canelo went after and dethroned Smith, 30, while Saunders sent British veteran Martin Murray, 38, into retirement.
Alvarez wanted his quick turnaround to take place in Mexico, a homecoming almost ten years in the making.
But travel restrictions amid the Covid-19 crisis has forced the title fight to take place Stateside.
Canelo Alvarez shows off his lightning boxing skills in workout
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
