FILE – In this Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, file photo, boxer Canelo Alvarez poses for photos at Madison Square Garden in New York. Alvarez will return to the ring and to the middleweight division on May 4, 2019, to fight Danny Jacobs. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
LOS ANGELES— Canelo Alvarez will return to the ring and to the middleweight division on May 4 to fight Danny Jacobs.
Alvarez will defend his WBC and WBA titles against IBF champion Jacobs in a matchup of two of the sport’s top performers. No venue has been announced for the bout on the eve of Cinco de Mayo.
Mexico’s Alvarez (50-1-2, 35 knockouts) became a three-division world champion by knocking out Rocky Fielding in three rounds to take the WBA super middleweight crown in December. He now goes back to middleweight, where he owns a draw and a victory over Gennady Golovkin that lifted him to the top of a loaded division.
“I’m happy to announce my next fight during the festive weekend of Cinco de Mayo,” the 28-year-old Alvarez said. “I will unify my middleweight titles against Daniel Jacobs on one of the two most important dates that belong to me. I have no doubt that I will be victorious and that I’ll be one step away from becoming the undisputed middleweight world champion.”
Jacobs, a 31-year-old New Yorker who overcame bone cancer to become a champion, is 35-2 with 29 KOs.
Despite losing a close bout to Golovkin in 2017, Jacobs remained a force. He hasn’t lost since and took the IBF belt by defeating Sergiy Derevyanchenkoto.
“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for, the opportunity to achieve greatness inside the ring,” Jacobs said. “I have always believed I can beat Canelo, and on May 4 live on DAZN, I will get my chance to play it out. It’s been nearly four years since Canelo has faced an American challenger. It’s going to be a huge event where I believe I will cement myself as the best middleweight in the division.”
The fight will be streamed on DAZN, which has a long-term contract with Alvarez.