Middleweight champion Saúl ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will meet for the light heavyweight world title against Russian Sergey Kovalev in Las Vegas on November 2, the Mexican boxer reported.
Alvarez, 29, will have to go up two categories to face Kovalev, the WBO (World Boxing Organization) light heavyweight champion, he said on his Twitter account. Online streaming service DAZN also confirmed the match.
Canelo (52-1-2, 35 KOs), champion by the World Boxing Council (WBC), had never fought in the light heavyweight category before.
Meanwhile, Alvarez was stripped of his International Boxing Federation belt last month after refusing to accept a fight against mandatory challenger, Russia’s Sergey Derevyanchenko.
Speaking to ESPN on Friday, Alvarez said he was enjoying the challenge of facing Kovalev, who retained his title with an 11th round knockout of Britain’s Anthony Yarde last month.
“The second phase of my career continues as we had planned, and that is why we continue to put up great fights to get into the boxing history books,” Alvarez told ESPN.
“That’s why I also decided to jump two categories against one of the most feared champions of recent years.” “Kovalev is a dangerous puncher, and naturally he is the bigger man, but those are the kinds of challenges and risks that I like to face,” he said. AFP