Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez isn?t going to be fighting this September 14 and he?s passing on the big Mexican Independence Day fight date, which has become a tradition of sorts in boxing, because he?s in a power play with DAZN.
Well, officially, according to a Golden Boy press release, the Mexican star is passing on the date ?in an effort to secure the right opponent and to do justice to the level of promotion required for a boxing star of his magnitude.? They call it a ?strategic decision,? but what that strategy is remains to be seen.
Less than two weeks ago, I wrote a piece about the struggles in coming up with a September 14 opponent for Alvarez when Alvarez refused to entertain the idea of meeting the streaming service?s preferred choice, Gennady Golovkin. I concluded it with this:
?How this all plays out will offer an interesting look into the power dynamic over at DAZN and to what extent their star possession actually possesses them.?
That tug-o-war is still ongoing, but Canelo is moving the flag on the rope first. He?s withholding his services, withholding his subscription-drawing presence from the company that invested $365 million in having that presence.
?As a Mexican, it?s a responsibility and an honor to represent my country in both May and September,? Alvarez said in that same GBP press release. ?Those are my dates. However, as a world champion in multiple weight classes, I also have the responsibility of delivering the most exciting and competitive fights possible. That?s why Golden Boy and my team have decided to postpone the date in order to do right by my fans by promoting the best fight possible and with the best opponent possible.?
Team Canelo?s efforts to sign a bout against light heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev (the only opponent, other than Golovkin, green lit by DAZN) failed and talks with Demetrius Andrade and Jaime Munguia were reportedly going too slow to put a September 14 bout together. So, there?ll be nothing.
Golden Boy says that Canelo will fight later in the year, with the implication being that Golovkin is still not an option for that opponent slot.
The animosity that the 29-year-old Alvarez has for Golovkin is very real. He was essentially shamed?twice?into facing the Kazakh and never once rose above the insults hurled his way. Through three years of being tied to one another, Team GGG has called Alvarez a coward, said that he was a protected fighter, and flat-out accused him of using PEDs in their fights.
And now Canelo is refusing to give Golovkin another main stage blockbuster? despite DAZN having ponied up nine-figures to bring Golovkin on board, just for that reason.
Don?t think for a second that DAZN is all that broken up about not being able to secure Canelo vs. GGG right now. Actually, it?s better business for them to dangle the carrot a bit longer, get one more fight under each belt and several months more hype for the eventual part 3. They definitely want the fight to happen?their investment of nearly a half-billion bucks in Canelo and Golovkin was based, at least partially, on reaping the benefits of a subscription-driving ?PPV-level? event?but waiting a few more months to whet more appetites and ?marinate? the fight is smart boxing salesmanship.
Of course, they can?t say this out loud. In public, the streaming service has to look like they?re pushing hard for Canelo-GGG 3 and accepting no lesser substitute.
Canelo, by all accounts, couldn?t care less about what DAZN is saying publicly or thinking privately. He?s put his foot down, is insisting on calling his own shots, and pushing the boundaries of his relationship with the company. For him, Golovkin is off the table. He knows he has leverage.
A plane full of Demetrius Andrades and Daniel Romans crashing into a mountain of Tevin Farmers, Katie Taylors, and Oleksandr Usyks doesn?t amount to the buzz generated by one Canelo walkover bout. Everyone knows that and everyone knows just how much DAZN needs Canelo?s star power to help build their brand.
Alvarez can move on to another network or even do his own PPV events with the help of Golden Boy. DAZN, however, won?t find another Canelo.
Will DAZN risk losing their biggest asset on principle? Will they call Canelo?s bluff and keep forcing a Golovkin fight on him until he caves? Or will they give in and try to manufacture some other big ticket rivalry for their cash cow?
Stay Tuned.
