Canelo Alvarez and Avni Yildirim will have more time to make their unlikely title fight.
The WBC announced Tuesday that will give the fighters 15 more days to reach a deal before the matchups goes to a purse bid.
“Understanding the current situation of WBC Franchise champion, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the WBC in good faith extends 15 days and for a final time the purse offer ceremony for the Alvarez vs Yildirim fight, for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight title,” the WBC statement read.
The WBC ordered the fight for its vacant super middleweight title on Aug. 18 and a purse bid hearing was scheduled for Sept. 21. However, because no progress had been made, it pushed back the date to Oct. 6.
There has been no indication whether representatives for Alvarez and Yildirum have had serious talks.
Alvarez is in a legal battle with his promotional company (Golden Boy) and streaming service (DAZN), which makes it difficult to put together a title fight.
And DAZN reportedly refused to stream the prospective fight before Alvarez ignited the legal battle by filing a lawsuit for alleged breach of contract. The suit was dismissed because of a technicality but later refiled, although the sides reportedly have been negotiating a compromise.
Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs) is ranked No. 1 by the WBC. He was expected to fight then-beltholder David Benavidez if Benavidez beat Roamer Angulo in August. However, Benavidez lost the title on the scales before the fight.
The WBC later ordered Yildirim and Alvarez to fight for the vacant title.
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