Is there trouble in paradise? Has the buoyant julbilation seen last year — when Canelo Alvarez snagged that mega-money $365 million dollar deal, which saw promoter Golden Boy enjoy trickle down prosperity — been tempered over time?
That subject was speculated about by writer Lance Pugmire and Mike Coppinger, who on their first Athletic podcast spoke on the possible beef between Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez.
DAZN paid GBP to put on bouts, “to help boost its stable,” and “apparently Canelo has been irked by how much money DAZN gave Golden Boy Promotions,” the former LA Times journo Pugmire stated.
At a press luncheon, Pugmire said he saw Oscar and Eric Gomez come into the room, after being talked to by Canelo, dressed down. They looked shaken, he shared.
“There’s rumors that Canelo and Oscar aren’t even talking right now,” said Pugmire.
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” said Coppinger, part of the sports web platform’s three-headed coverage crew, along with Rafe Bartholomew and Pugmire. He clarified that this chatter is indeed more chatter than reported and confirmed facts.
So, what about it, I asked Gomez — what about the luncheon where Canelo gave Oscar and Eric the business? Is it so that the Mexican top dog and the promoter are not on the same page right now?
He laughed. Did that happen, then?
”Never,” said Gomez. “Fake news.”
So, Oscar and Canelo are getting along OK, then?
”Always,” said Gomez. “We just spent two days with Canelo, Monday and Tuesday.”
And, speaking of meetings and such, does Gomez have an idea of what month, at least, Canelo will fight?
“Not yet,” he said. Noted .Is there a rough timeline of when we will get clarity? He didn’t offer a timeline.
Top of my head guess: because the can did get kicked down the road, I think Canelo doesn’t fight in September or October. November or December is more likely.
And what about Canelo versus Sergey Kovalev? The Russian is doing a homecoming gala, a bout in Chelyabinsk, versus WBO mandatory Anthony Yarde on Aug. 24. I put it to Kovalev’s promoter, Kathy Duva.
Sergey fights Aug. 24, I said. He wins — would you all be ready and willing to fight Canelo in, say, November or December?
Duva’s reply: “Of course!”
And has anyone laid out a prelim sort of plan which puts forth that promotion? By anyone, I mean Team Canelo, or maybe Eddie Hearn on behalf of DAZN, or a DAZN exec?
”I have not heard a word from any of them,” Duva responded. “I learned about Canelo’s decision to wait until later in the year when a reporter forwarded their press release to me asking for a comment!”