There will be revenge fight Alvarez-Kovalev
Eleider Alvarez had several reasons to smile at the offices of Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) on Monday.
Because in addition to officially receiving his World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight championship belt from his representative, Gerry Bolen, Alvarez confirmed that he would play for the revenge promised to Sergey Kovalev on July 2, most likely in Frisco, Texas.
“It’s all the effort, all the sacrifice I’ve made in the last few years,” Alvarez said as he took possession of the belt.
In his next fight, which will be presented at the Dallas Cowboys training complex in Frisco, Texas, Alvarez (24-0, 12 K-O) will then have the opportunity to make the Russian swallow his words, who declared shortly after his defeat on August 4 that it was an “accident of course”.
“I thought it was a big disrespect to me, that he didn’t give me the credit I deserve,” said the champion. It’ll only motivate me more.
Kovalev (32-3-1, 28 K-O) will have to be ready for this second match, because Alvarez and his coach, Marc Ramsay, promised that the Colombian of origin would be even better prepared.
“Alvarez had the best preparation of his career for his fight against Kovalev, but that doesn’t mean he reached his maximum capacity,” Ramsay explained. There’s still room, and I’ll make sure we get to the next level. We must do it: we are aware that Kovalev will be more motivated and better prepared for this fight. We need an “Alvarez 2.0″: stronger, bigger, faster”.
As for the first fight, Alvarez will hold his training camp in Colombia.
This defense of the title against Kovalev will not be a mandatory defense for Alvarez, said Yvon Michel. The WBO gives its champions 12 months to make a mandatory defense. The president of GYM will know at the end of October, at the organization’s annual convention, if the meter is running since its victory on August 4 or if it will start on July 2, 2019.
Michel also spoke about the interest of his foal with the networks DAZ and ESPN+, who both want to engage with Alvarez for several fights.
“We will have to analyze all of this,” said Michel. One network offers more money, but less fighting and the other one offers the opposite. We’ll have to see which way we want to go. Either way, it’s a lot of money and makes sure Eleider is very active.
One thing is certain: Alvarez’s next fight will take place in Quebec.
“Both DAZ and ESPN have been open to coming here to fight Alvarez’s fight,” noted the promoter.
Beterbiev in December
Also, Michel also unveiled that Artur Beterbiev, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight champion, will again defend his belt in December, against Joe Smith Jr.
Beterbiev (13-0, 13 K-O) just defended the title against the British Callum Johnson on October 6. The match-up with Smith (24-2, 20 Ko) would take place on December 15 or 22, at Madison Square Garden or Atlantic City.
“It is almost certain that Artur will fight Joe Smith. What is less certain is when, said Michel. But one thing is certain; this next fight will take place in 2020.
This fight would be fought on DAZN, the streaming sports service, which is trying to contract Saul” Canelo ” Alvarez, an independent player since HBO withdrew from the world of boxing. If DAZ succeeds in this stinking coup, she will mark this new – and lucrative – association with a huge gala at Madison Square Garden, where Beterbiev and Smith would face each other in foreplay.
The duel between Alvarez and Fielding is already scheduled for December 15 at MSG.
It is if Alvarez escapes DAZ that the date and place of Beterbiev’s fight would have to be reconfirmed.
This Boxing Night would take a very Quebec-oriented course, as Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management, told the RDS.that David Lemieux (40-4, 34 K-O) would play in his next fight as a sub-card of the clash between Alvarez and Rocky Fielding. The Mexican will make the jump to the 168 books for this fight to contest the super-means title of the World Boxing Association (WBA) held by the British.