Canelo Alvarez After Two-Fight Deal Opposing Avni Yilridim, Then Billy Joe Saunders

Promoter Eddie Hearn is already in talks with pound-for-pound great Canelo Alvarez for his next bout, and is looking to ink a two-fight deal with him. The first fight against mandatory WBC challenger Avni Yildirim, then the second against multiple-time WBO Super-Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders.

Following his dominant unanimous decision victory over Callum Smith on December 19, Canelo has 90 days to defend his WBA Super-Middleweight Championship against Yildirim.

Hearn has been negotiating with Alvarez’ manager and trainer, Eddy Reynoso, in bid to promote these next two bouts.

Of course, as mentioned above, the first of which is against Turkish talent Avni Yildirim (21-2), who’s coming off a defeat to Anthony Dirrell.

That last fight, and defeat, came in February of 2019 via technical decision at the end of round ten. Dirrell in turn lost his title to David Benavidez in his next fight, and Benavidez in turn lost his title for not making weight for his fight with Yildirim.

That’s where a 21-2, 29-year-old talent from Turkey that’s coming off a defeat comes into play.

Following this, hopefully, is a bout between Canelo Alvarez (54-1-2) versus English talent Billy Joe Saunders (30-0), which makes for a very exciting clash.

Canelo went 44-2 as an amateur, Saunders won his first 49 bouts as an amateur, not to mention all the world titles they each have. This makes for a pretty big fight.

Many of us were thinking maybe Canelo’s next bout would be against IBF Super-Middleweight Champion Caleb Plant, who he was in talks of facing just before his Callum Smith bout was booked.

It looks like that train has passed by, for now at least, as we potentially have his next two bouts lined up. Yildirim, whether we know what’s going to happen in that fight or not, it has to happen, hence the term ‘mandatory challenger’.

However, Canelo versus Saunders is a very compelling match up that’ll get a lot of fans excited.