Mexican boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has reunited with DAZN after signing a new two-fight deal with the international sports streaming platform and UK-based promoter Matchroom.
Alvarez’s first fight under the deal will take place on May 7 against Russian Dmitry Bivol in Las Vegas for the WBA light-heavyweight title (so far, that bout remains unaffected by the increasing sporting clampdown on Russia following that country's invasion of Ukraine).
Go deeper with GlobalData
The second bout in the two-fight deal is set for September, where the 31-year-old is widely expected to face Gennady Golovkin in a hugely-anticipated trilogy.
Golovkin also has his own six-fight deal with DAZN which he signed back in 2019.
Alvarez and Eddie Hearn, who heads up Matchroom, are reportedly in talks to extend the contract to a three-fight deal that could see the fighter make an estimated $160 million in total.
See Also:
If agreed, Alvarez could fight again in December.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataHis confirmed first fight with Bivol will be available globally on DAZN, excluding Latin America and Mexico. In the US and Canada, the event will be offered exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view (PPV), a newly introduced offering by the OTT platform for select events.
In his last outing, Alvarez claimed the IBF super-middleweight title after beating Caleb Plant, which made him the first boxer ever to become the undisputed champion in that division.
In 2020, the Mexican fighter terminated a lucrative 11-fight, $365 million deal with DAZN after he parted ways with promoter Golden Boy, headed up by Oscar de la Hoya.
The split came two months after Alvarez sued both the streaming platform and Golden Boy, for damages of at least $280 million, filing a lawsuit in a federal court in California accusing the two parties of failing to honor the terms of the contract.
The suit was settled, with Golden Boy receiving no money as its contract with Alvarez came to an end.
But Alvarez soon resumed a relationship with DAZN, as his fight with the UK's Callum Smith in December 2020 was shown on the streaming service.
Last year, the renowned boxer also partnered with DAZN and Matchroom for a series of boxing events in Mexico.
DAZN and Matchroom have a global deal that includes media rights to top fights in the UK, and plans for more events in key markets such as the USA, Italy, and Spain.
Hearn said: “It is an absolute honor to announce a multi-fight promotional deal with Alvarez. Canelo transcends boxing and is the biggest star in the sport and we look forward to promoting some historic nights in 2022 live on DAZN PPV.”
Ed Breeze, DAZN executive vice-president of rights, added: “We’re delighted to continue growing our long-term partnership with Canelo. We’re thrilled to make it happen around the world on DAZN as well as in the US and Canada by way of the introduction of DAZN PPV. It’s a truly mega matchup and we look forward to broadcasting it to fight fans all over the globe.”
