The biggest rematch in boxing is back on thanks to a 'Hail Mary' deal made at the 11th hour of negotiations
- Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin are set for a rematch on September 15, a year after their controversial split-decision draw.
- The fight was originally scheduled for May of this year but had to be pushed back after Alvarez failed a drug test.
- Negotiations between the sides were hotly contested, but a last-minute, "Hail Mary" offer reportedly saved the rematch, which will be viewed by many as the Fight of the Year.
The biggest rematch in boxing is officially back on.
Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin will meet in September to face off again, a year after their first meeting ended in a controversial split-decision draw.
The two were initially set for a rematch in May, but the fight was put on hold after Alvarez failed a drug test, which he blamed on spoiled meat. Alvarez was ready to take the lion's share of the purse for the originally scheduled rematch, but GGG's camp argued for more after Canelo's alleged missteps pushed the fight date back, at one point demanding a 50-50 split, according to ESPN's Dan Rafael.
Both sides continued negotiations with Alvarez and Golden Boy Promotions slowly conceding ground to GGG before putting their final offer on the table: a 57½-42½ split in Canelo's favor and a deadline of 12 p.m. PT on Wednesday. When the deadline passed and no deal was made, there was a feeling in the air that the rematch was not going to happen, with Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya telling ESPN "there is no fight," and that negotiations were "100 percent over."
But deadlines are fickle things in the world of boxing, and while De La Hoya was speaking with ESPN, Golden Boy president Eric Gomez was working on what he called a "Hail Mary" deal to save the fight.
Two hours after the deadline passed, a deal was made, finalizing the fight for this September. De La Hoya announced the news on Twitter.
After the controversial finish of their first matchup, there's big expectations on both sides for a decisive result in this second meeting in the ring. Get ready for the fight of the year.