Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and fellow middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs will meet in a 4 May unification bout, Golden Boy Promotions and streaming service DAZN announced on Thursday.
A venue for the fight has not been determined but multiple reports have said it will be at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
For World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association champion Alvarez (51-1-2, 35 KOs), the fight will be his first since earning a technical knockout over Britain's Rocky Fielding last month.
"I'm happy to announce my next fight during the festive weekend of Cinco de Mayo," said Mexican Alvarez on Thursday night.
"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."
American Jacobs, known as "The Miracle Man" after winning his battle with bone cancer, got past Sergiy Derevyanchenko by split decision when he last fought in October to pick up the International Boxing Federation belt.
Jacobs, was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer in May 2011 and was left partially paralysed. After radiation treatments, surgery to remove a tumour wrapped around his spine and arduous rehabilitation, he returned to boxing in late 2012.
The 31-year-old Brooklyn native (35-2, 29 KOs) is already considered one of the best middleweights of this era and his clash with Alvarez will be the biggest of his career.
"This is the opportunity I have been waiting for. The opportunity to achieve greatness inside the ring," said Jacobs.
"I have always believed I can beat Canelo, and on May 4 ... I will get my chance to play it out."
Reuters
