The IBF is pressing undisputed super middleweight champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez to negotiate with its mandatory challenger, William Scull, by ordering a purse bid meeting on June 6 at its New Jersey offices.
In a letter from IBF President Daryl Peoples, Alvarez and Scull were instructed to begin negotiations on May 13, but an agreement was not reached, prompting Scull's representative Hagen Doering to request a purse bid.
The purse bid is scheduled for noon Eastern Time on June 6, with promoters required to submit their bids by 11:45 a.m. that morning. Scull, who has an unimpressive record compared to Alvarez's previous opponents, fought his last eight bouts in Germany before securing an eight-round unanimous decision win over Sean Hemphill on the undercard of Alvarez’s May 4 victory over Jaime Munguia in Las Vegas.
Despite the IBF's order, it is not certain that the IBF is first in line among the four sanctioning bodies for Alvarez’s next mandatory defense. Earlier this month, WBA President Gilberto Mendoza claimed that unbeaten mandatory challenger Edgar Berlanga is first in line, complicating the situation further.
Alvarez typically fights on Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekends, making a Sept. 14 bout likely for his next mandatory defense.
Adding to the complexity, there is speculation about a potential fight between Alvarez and unbeaten three-division champion Terence Crawford if Crawford secures a fourth division belt on Aug. 3 against WBA junior middleweight titleholder Israil Madrimov.
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