Unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin has accepted a deal for a September rematch against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, according to the Mexican’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya.
A Wednesday deadline set by De La Hoya appeared to be set to pass with no agreement in place, only for a sudden turn of events late in the evening.
“I’m happy to inform that we have a fight September 15!!!!” De La Hoya tweeted.
The pair’s first bout last September ended in a controversial draw, with judge Adalaide Byrd’s scorecard of 118-110 in favour of Alvarez widely ridiculed.
A rematch was planned for May, only for Canelo to withdraw after failing two drugs tests for banned substance clenbuterol in February.
He claimed it was a result of eating contaminated meat but was forced to withdraw from the original rematch after being given a six-month suspension, backdated to the first failed test on February 17.
However, he is free to box again from August 17 and Golovkin has accepted a reportedly improved offer to stage the rematch.
Golovkin was the holder of three of the major world titles but was recently stripped of the IBF belt after declining to agree to fight mandatory challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
The Kazakh remains the unified WBC and WBA middleweight title holder.
PA
