WBC Prez Crossing Fingers That Canelo-Golovkin II Gets Done

By Miguel Rivera

World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman is crossing his fingers that a deal is reached for a rematch between WBC, IBF, IBO, WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez.

The two boxers fought to a controversial twelve round split draw in September 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The rematch was initially targeted for May 5, as part of Cinco De Mayo weekend, back at T-Mobile.

But the May date fell apart after Canelo tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol back in February, and later was suspended for six months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Two weeks ago, the two sides hit a huge roadblock in their negotiations - after Golovkin requested a better split of the money.

Golovkin, due to Canelo's testing issues which crumbled their May date, believes he's entitled to a better split - and wants an even 50-50.

Canelo is not interested in his position, and wants GGG to stay in line with a 65-35 split - which both sides had agreed upon for the failed May date.

Sulaiman has been very vocal in pushing for this contest to take place.

There has been a lot of animosity between the WBC and Canelo in the last two years, but Sulaiman was a big supporter of Canelo's innocence in the recent drug testing scandal.

"So many things have been said between the two sides that it is difficult to see where they are going [with the negotiations], but I have faith that they will understand that the world wants to see the fight. What the world wants to see is for the two of them to fight," Sulaiman said.

"Hopefully the two of them realize [the high demand for this fight] and they close [the deal] once and for all. We are in communication with both sides and we trying to really [make both sides] realize the importance of giving this fight to the people."