Last week, Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez vacated his WBO light heavyweight championship.
He captured the title last month, when he moved up by two weight classes to score a knockout of Sergey Kovalev to capture belt at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
According to TVA Sport and The Montreal Journal, the news could have a significant impact on former world champion Eleider Alvarez.
Alvarez's co-promoters Top Rank and Yvon Michel of GYM have made a request to the World Boxing Organization (WBO) to make Alvarez's upcoming fight with Michael Seals a final world title eliminator.
Alvarez and Seals are scheduled to collide on January 18 in Verona, New York.
"I confirm that we have made a request to the WBO," said Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti to TVA. "However, we are not sure that it will be accepted. ”
It would be great news for Alvarez. With a victory against Seals, he could find himself in line for another world championship fight in 2020.
Meanwhile, Alvarez continues his preparation at Marc Ramsay's gymnasium.
"If the eliminator becomes a reality, it would be very good for me," said Alvarez. "It would give me even more motivation to defeat Michael Seals and to become world champion again. This fight is not a matter of pressure, but a challenge to deliver a good performance. I want to show last year's Eleider Alvarez [who knocked out Kovalev].
"I'm going to have to be alert. [Seals is] a real hitter. I'm going to have to be very active and I should be able to keep him at bay with my jab. Basically, to use the style that has always given me success.”
At 35 and coming off a decision loss to Kovalev, the once-beaten boxer is not considering the idea of retirement just yet.
"I'm not thinking about it yet. I still feel good and I still have fun training. When the day comes when this will no longer be the case, those around me know very well that I will hang my gloves,” Alvarez said.
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.