ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 17: Canelo Alvarez celebrates after knocking out Liam Smith during the WBO Junior Middleweight World fight at AT&T Stadium on September 17, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP
Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will square off on May 6 in one of the biggest fights in Mexican boxing history, Golden Boy Promotions announced on Friday.
Mexico’s two most popular boxers will meet at a site to be determined on the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo — a traditional weekend for major fights involving that country’s boxers. The fight is expected to take place in the US, possibly Las Vegas or Dallas, Texas.
Alvarez, the former middleweight world champion, and Chavez, who also once held a world title at 160 pounds, will meet at a catch weight of 164.5 pounds.
Alvarez has never fought heavier than 155 pounds which is the weight at which he demanded opponents fight at when he held the middleweight title. Since 2013, Chavez’s last five fights have been at 167.5 or heavier.
Promoters have been looking at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as a possible venue. Organizers also said they will talk to other venues, including AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
Alvarez drew an AT&T Stadium-record boxing crowd of 51,240 for his last fight, in September, when he knocked out Liam Smith in the ninth round to win a junior middleweight world title.