In a major development for the boxing world, Canelo Alvarez and William Scull have reached an agreement ahead of their scheduled IBF mandatory purse bid. This agreement has effectively canceled the need for the purse bid, which had already been postponed twice.
AGON Sports Confirms Agreement
Representatives for William Scull, AGON Sports, confirmed the agreement with a brief statement. “IBF Mandatory Fight Scull vs. Canelo: AGON Sports and TGB reach agreement. Non-existence of details agreed,” the statement read. Despite the lack of specifics, the news is a significant step forward.
Promoter’s Satisfaction
Promoter Ingo Volckmann expressed his contentment with the agreement. “We are happy that we were able to reach an agreement,” he said, highlighting the positive outcome of the negotiations.
Previous Delays and Uncertainty
The road to this agreement has been fraught with delays and uncertainty. On June 13, AGON Sports had prepared for the purse bid, only for it to be postponed again at the request of Canelo’s team. “The odyssey continues! Today, June 13, the purse bid… was supposed to take place. The original date was June 6 but it was postponed again at the request of both teams,” Volckmann explained.
Reasons for Postponement
The reasons for the repeated postponements were consistent: ongoing disagreements on Canelo’s side. Tom Brown of TGB Promotions requested more time for negotiations, a request AGON agreed to due to the positive nature of the talks.
AGON’s Preparedness
AGON Sports’ team manager, Horst-Peter Strickrodt, detailed their readiness for the purse bid. “AGON had made all the necessary preparations to submit the corresponding bid to the IBF. A large New York law firm represented AGON. The necessary deposit had already been transferred.”
New Agreement Date
The new date for the purse bid had been set for June 18, with the bids to be read out at noon local time in Springfield, New York. This date became moot with the reaching of the agreement.
Potential Step-Aside Deal
World Boxing News reports that the current agreement may not necessarily guarantee a fight between Canelo and Scull. There is speculation that it could involve a step-aside deal, wherein Canelo pays Scull to wait for his mandatory challenge. This would allow Canelo to potentially face another opponent in the interim.
Canelo’s Next Opponent
Rumors of a potential fight with Edgar Berlanga in September persist. Canelo could either fulfill his mandatory obligation by fighting Scull or face Berlanga, depending on the final agreement terms.
Official Announcement Pending
Team Canelo is expected to announce further details in the coming days, providing clarity on the agreement and future fight plans.
