Dmitry Bivol remains the top target next spring for Canelo Alvarez, according to Eddie Hearn.
Hearn, the promoter of the Mexican superstar and current undisputed champion at 168, indicated recently that he had “instructions” from Alvarez’s trainer and manager Eddy Reynoso to schedule a rematch with the Russian light heavyweight champion, presumably for May 2023.
Alvarez lost a unanimous decision to Bivol in their WBA 175-pound title bout in May at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Several factors most likely have to come to fruition in order for this scenario to play out as planned. Alvarez needs to defeat Gennadiy Golovkin in their super middleweight trilogy bout Sept. 17 at T-Mobile Arena, and Bivol needs to raise his hands over his mandatory challenger Gilberto Ramirez in their 175-pound title fight Nov. 5 in Abu Dhabi.
Hearn is also cognizant of Bivol’s desire to become an undisputed champion at 175. But fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev, who holds the three other belts in the division, is aligned with rival promotional outfit Top Rank, whose founder, Bob Arum, explicitly stated earlier this summer that he would only entertain the match-up if it happened under his company’s aegis; Top Rank showcases its fighters exclusively on ESPN.
“My instructions from Eddy Reynoso are to make the Bivol rematch, pending victory on September 17th,” Hearn said on The DAZN Boxing Show. “That’s the one that Canelo Alvarez is chasing. Obviously from a financial perspective it’s three or four times bigger for Dmitry Bivol (to fight Alvarez) than the Beterbiev fight. But he also wants to be undisputed and Beterbiev against Bivol is a hell of a fight.”
Alvarez recently stated that he would not be as interested in a Bivol rematch if Bivol loses to Ramirez. (On the other hand, Alvarez said he had no desire to face Ramirez because he is a fellow Mexican).
“The belts don’t really come into play for this one,” Hearn said. “He (Alvarez) just wants to beat the guy that beat him. He wouldn’t want him to lose to Ramirez because I think he wants the credit, if he can beat Dmitry Bivol, of beating [him first]. I think Canelo Alvarez would love to see Bivol look great, win in style and rematch him, should he beat Triple G on September 17th.”
