Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, left, and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin at the end of their middleweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin during a press conference following his fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in the WBC, WBA, IBF, RING middleweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at his ring corner in between rounds of his fight against Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in the WBC, WBA, IBF, RING middleweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin reacts after his fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in the WBC, WBA, IBF, RING middleweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin embrace after their middleweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez at the conclusion of his fight against Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in their middleweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin reacts after his fight against Saul Canelo Alvarez in the WBC, WBA, IBF, RING middleweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a split draw. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, left, and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin at the end of their middleweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, left, fights Gennady “GGG” Golovkin during their middleweight championship boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, left, battles Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in the WBC, WBA, IBF, RING middleweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a draw. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, left, battles Saul Canelo Alvarez in the WBC, WBA, IBF, RING middleweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a split draw. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, left, battles Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in the WBC, WBA, IBF, RING middleweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. The fight ended in a split draw. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya has made it a priority to have the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch May 5 at T-Mobile Arena.
“Absolutely I want Las Vegas,” said De La Hoya, who promotes Alvarez. “There’s no place like Las Vegas. These type of events have to take place in Las Vegas, and we have great partners with the MGM group and the T-Mobile Arena and AEG, who are partners at the T-Mobile Arena. So my priority is to stage this fight in Las Vegas.”
Representatives for Alvarez and Golovkin could reach an agreement for the second fight by the end of the week, according to ESPN.
The first bout was Sept. 16 at T-Mobile Arena and ended with a controversial split draw. Returning to Las Vegas might not be Golovkin’s first choice after judge Adalaide Byrd had Alvarez winning by a wide margin of 118-110. Dave Moretti scored it in favor of Golovkin, 115-113. Don Trella had a 114-114 draw.
Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez, called Byrd a corrupt judge during the postfight news conference. Byrd hasn’t scored a title fight since then.
Despite the backlash, there’s not much Golovkin’s handlers can do about the location of the rematch. The Mexican superstar is the top draw in boxing, giving Golden Boy Promotions the advantage in negotiations.
“My top priority is to make Canelo and Triple G,” De La Hoya said. “The rematch has to take place. Canelo wants it. Triple G wants it, and so that’s my top priority for Cinco de Mayo of next year.”
There’s a chance Alvarez could fight the winner of Saturday’s WBO middleweight title fight between Billy Joe Saunders and David Lemieux if negotiations fall apart with Golovkin.
“It all depends on how both fighters look (Saturday),” De La Hoya said. “It’s a very important fight for a world title and the missing piece of the puzzle to unify all world titles at middleweight.
“I’m open to anything as long as it’s a great fight. Lemieux and Saunders can also be in the Canelo and Triple G sweepstakes.”
With the draw, Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 knockouts) retained his WBC/IBF/WBA middleweight belts. Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) is the lineal middleweight champion.
