Canelo Alvarez ‘in talks with Eddie Hearn over two-fight deal to take on Avni Yildirim followed by Billy Joe Saunders’

Published

27th December 2020

EDDIE HEARN is ‘discussing a two-fight deal’ for Canelo Alvarez to face Avni Yildirim and then Billy Joe Saunders.

Hearn promoted the Mexican’s last fight, where he beat Callum Smith for the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine super-middleweight titles.

Canelo Alvarez is in talks with Eddie Hearn over a two-fight deal

Now, Canelo has 90 days to defend his WBC crown against mandatory challenger Yildirim.

According to The Athletic, Hearn is negotiating with Alvarez’s manager and trainer Eddy Reynoso in a bid to promote their next two fights.

The first would be against Turk Yildirim, 29, in Canelo’s hometown, Guadalajara, Mexico on February 27.

And if Alvarez, 30, is successful in his defence, he would then be lined up with WBO champion Saunders, also 30, in a unification.

Hearn promotes the unbeaten Brit and had a deal in place for the southpaw to face Canelo this summer, until the coronavirus pandemic KO’d the clash.

Saunders returned to the ring in December, beating veteran Martin Murray and afterwards called to revive his fight with Canelo.

Alvarez himself wants to fight the 2008 Olympian, in a bid to unify the 168lb division.

Avni Yildirim is Canelo’s WBC mandatory challenger

Billy Joe Saunders is in line to fight Canelo

Hearn is also hoping to tie down Alvarez’s immediate future to DAZN.

Canelo did have an 11-fight deal with Golden Boy Promotions to fight on the streaming service, but it was terminated this year.

Despite the legal dispute, Alvarez still fought Smith on DAZN and would also do the same against Yildirim and Saunders.