Negotiations for WBC, WBA and WBO super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 56-1-2 (38) to face IBF counterpart Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant 21-0 (12) have once against stalled less than eight weeks out from the proposed September 18 date for a PBC on Fox pay-per-view show.
A key issue is what happens if one of the boxers falls ill and has to withdraw.
“His bark is bigger than his bite,” Plant told ESPN. “Canelo was offered the highest guarantee of his career. He was set to make $40 million plus Mexican TV rights and his Hennessy Sponsorship. No problem, let’s fight. We gave it to him. Then they wanted upside of gate and PPV revenue; no problem, let’s rumble.
“It was always agreed that it was a [title] unification; no rematch for either fighter. Towards the end of negotiations they asked for a rematch when they lose. No problem, you can have the rematch as well, I just wanna fight.”
Mexican superstar Alvarez, 31, has made it clear since moving up from middleweight that his primary objective is to unify the 168-pound weight class.
In May he relieved Billy Joe Saunders 30-1 (14) of his WBO strap with an eighth-round stoppage after picking up the vacant WBC belt and WBA title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Callum Smith 27-1 (19) in December.
The 29-year-old Plant who hails from Nashville, Tennessee won the IBF bauble with a points victory over Jose Uzcategui 31-4 (26) two and a half years ago. He has defended the title three times with stoppage over Mike Lee 21-1 (11) and Vincent Feigenbutz 33-3 (29) and a shutout victory over Caleb Truax 31-5-2 (19) in his most recent outing in January.
The major sticking point in negotiations for the fight appears to be what happens is the fight is postponed due to illness, something we have seen happen repeatedly in the current Covid-19 climate.
“One that is absurd, if I get injured or sick then he gets a late replacement for the same amount of guaranteed money, but if he gets sick or injured, then we gotta wait for him,” Plant continued.
“We’re at seven-and-a-half weeks from the fight; we’ve lost valuable time that should be spent promoting and drug testing for a fight of this magnitude.
“I question whether legacy or money is their real motive. We’ve been waiting for him to get done with his wedding, shooting his TV show, his golf tournament and now have tried to give him everything he wants and more to make this fight.
“I’m more than willing, able and ready to fight Canelo Alvarez on any date. Those are the real facts and if anyone has something to say differently, we have the paperwork to prove it.”
It will be interesting to see if the fight can still be made from here. The clock is ticking.
