Canelo Meets With Golden Boy: Golovkin Fight is a Priority

By Miguel Rivera

WBO junior middleweight champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (48-1-1, 34KOs) recently met with Golden Boy Promotions to discuss his career options for 2017.

Later this month, they plan to have another meeting to determine if he's going to fight two or three times in 2017. His activity for next year will depend on the health of his right hand, which was injured during September's knockout victory over unbeaten Liam Smith to capture the WBO belt in Texas. He was going to fight on December 10, but his fight was pushed back due to the hand.

"Canelo continues his therapy on the hand. We are talking again in mid-December to see how he feels. If he is able to fight, we could do it in February or early March. But if he feels that he's not ready, then we we will wait until May. We will not risk anything in that regard. He wanted to fight three times this year but he couldn't," said Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez to ESPN Deportes.

Arguably the biggest fight in boxing is a showdown between Canelo and IBF, WBA, WBC, IBO middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (36-0, 33KOs).

The fight with Golovkin was one of the main topics discussed between Canelo and Golden Boy. Canelo views a fight with Golovkin as a priority for next year. Their showdown is being targeted for next September, during Mexican Independence Day weekend.

"The priority is to fight Golovkin. He wants to fight Gennady and that was part of our meeting with him. We talked about the conditions and numbers that he wants for the fight with GGG. I have been in contact with [Golovkin's promoter] Tom Loeffler and he will see us the next week. We're talking and that's the priority," Gomez said.

"We have been negotiating, there is time. A fight like this is very important, it is not the kind of fight that is done in one day. There are many aspects and things to consider. The talks are going well, we very advanced, everything is going well - and it is the priority of Canelo and Oscar [De La Hoya] to reach an agreement."

"We do not know where it would be.... what is important is to reach an agreement, tying down the fight and after that we can negotiate with sites. Las Vegas would be very good. It's is an event that deserves to be in the Vegas, but Texas is also a great possibility."