The relationship between Mexican undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) appears to be on the brink of collapse following reports from ESPN sports reporter Salvador Rodriguez that Alvarez was heading back to Matchroom whom he left to join PBC last year.
While there has been no confirmation surrounding the ins-and-outs between Canelo Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KO’s) and PBC, reports from earlier this year first suggested PBC was dealing with a case of financial insolvency.
However, Alvarez’ current issue with PBC does not appear to revolve around financial issues per say but more so the choice of opponents offered by PBC. Earlier this month, Alvarez had divulged during a public appearance on the Mexican-based network TV Azteca that he would be facing an American opponent on May 4―with Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KO’s), Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KO’s) and David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KO’s) being pinpointed as potential opponents, while Jaime Munguia (43-0, 34 KO’s) emerged last week as a possible opponent.
While it was speculated that Munguia could potentially fight Alvarez on a PBC-organized show as he appears to have some flexibility being signed to Zanfer Promotions, despite the co-promotional deal in place with Golden Boy Promotions, it now appears as if it is Alvarez himself who will be moving towards a new home.
“Signs are changing. It seems that Charlo, Benavidez, Crawford, and PBC are not in consideration for Canelo,” Salvador Rodriguez stated on his Twitter account.
“The attention is now on implementing the plan with Matchroom for Berlanga and Munguía, as Canelo looks to further solidify his status as a four-time world champion.“
Canelo fought under the Matchroom banner in 2022 and 2023, fighting thrice under what was originally understood to be a two-fight deal before he surprisingly moved to PBC with whom he signed a three-fight contract.
However, this deal might no longer be valid with the recent reports of Alvarez planning on returning to Matchroom, having only fought once under the PBC banner when he faced and defeated Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KO’s) on September 30th.
Eddie Hearn, chairman of Matchroom, also hinted at a potential return for Alvarez during a recent interview where he spoke on the rumored issues between Alvarez and PBC.
“When you sign a multi-fight deal, it’s got to be honored, it’s got to be adhered to,” Hearn stated to IFL TV while subtly referring to PBC‘s alleged inability to provide Alvarez with the fights or money that were promised.
“I don’t know anything about it other than the fact that May the 4th is what… 11 weeks away? 12 weeks away tops? And nothing’s happened, so it’s [the May 4th fight] is going to happen soon [and] I think the for Canelo Alvarez―and I’m pushing [for] [Edgar] Berlanga, but I think Munguia is the [ideal] fight.
“I think it’s a massive fight, and like I said it’s another guy in Munguia who’s a warrior. He will come to fight, and I don’t think Canelo Alvarez wants to fight people that are coming to survive, that want to move around.
“He [Alvarez] wants to fight people that come to fight him in this backstage of his career to give the fans tremendous fights, and Munguia would do it.“
Though it went unmentioned, a core part of the fraction between Canelo Alvarez and PBC seems to revolve around who he would rather face, with David Benavidez widely-recognized as the obvious choice due to is own association with PBC, his mandatory status, the fact he is a former world champion, and the interim WBC super middleweight title that Benavidez currently possesses.
However, now with the latest sling of rumors, a Alvarez-Benavidez fight may no longer occur as the undisputed super middleweight champion supposedly sets his sights on Munguia, and perhaps even Edgar Berlanga (22-0, 17 KO’s) who recently completed a devastating KO win.
