Floyd Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez a ‘No. 1 priority’ for Golden Boy
Floyd Mayweather Jr. outclassed Robert Guerrero last weekend, and now people are clamoring for him to finally face undefeated champion Canelo Alvarez.
Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KOs) is the top 154-pound fighter in the world and has been discussed as a potential Mayweather opponent. Though no fight has been finalized in the past, it looks like things are intensifying now.
Alvarez is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, which has also promoted each of Mayweather’s last seven fights. Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN’s Dan Rafael a Mayweather-Alvarez fight is his No. 1 priority.
“I am working on the fight,” Schaefer told Rafael. “I’m crunching the numbers. You should see my calculator — it’s red-hot. I am working on a lot of fights, but this is my No. 1 priority.
“This is something I am pursuing and I am having conversations with both sides,” Schaefer said. “Canelo wants the fight and Floyd has never turned down an opponent.”
Mayweather has a Sept. 14 fight date booked and says he intends to keep it. That weekend makes sense for an Alvarez fight because it coincides with the celebration of Mexican Independence Day.
There was initial speculation that Mayweather’s pay-per-view numbers for his fight with Guerrero would disappoint and come in below one million. Had Mayweather’s fight not sold well, it would have marked incentive for him to face more competitive and marketable opponents, such as Alvarez. However, SI’s Chris Mannix says Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza told him the PPV buys will exceed one million.
Espinoza also told Mannix that Showtime is pushing for a Mayweather-Alvarez fight.
“Everybody involved, from Mayweather, to Canelo, to Golden Boy, to Showtime want Canelo-Mayweather in September,” he told Mannix.
If Golden Boy wants the fight, Showtime wants the fight, and Alvarez wants the fight, then all we need is Mayweather to agree to it. Knowing him, there’s a possibility he elects to face an easier opponent unless he feels confident he can win. I’m not getting my hopes up yet.
