Streaming service DAZN still hopes to feature a 2019 fight featuring middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez now that the champion has decided not to fight in September.
Alvarez and boxing promotional company Golden Boy announced last week that the fighter would not fight on Sept. 14 after being unable to secure an opponent, according to ESPN.com.
DAZN had hoped to distribute a Sept. 14 fight featuring Alvarez -- who has fought on the weekend of Mexican Independence Day for the past three years -- against former champion Gennady Golovkin in a third fight between the two boxers.
Alvarez and Golovkin fought to a draw in their first fight in 2017, with Alvarez winning a close decision in the rematch last year.
DAZN is still hoping to get Alvarez -- who is going into the third fight of an exclusive, 11-fight deal with the sports streaming service -- into the ring before the end of the year. Alvarez in is negotiations to fight top contender Sergey Derevyanchenko, according to ESPN.com.
“We continue to work toward putting together a compelling annual schedule for fight fans,” said John Skipper, DAZN executive chairman. “It would be premature to comment on our plans until we finalize the remaining cornerstones of the 2019 calendar. Canelo is extremely important to DAZN. His first two fights with us generated significant subscription growth for our service and we’re excited to see him back in action later this year.”
