The manager of WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, Vadim Kornilov, has casted some doubt on whether a rematch with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez will take place in 2023.
The pair first went head-to-head last May at 175lbs and Bivol produced a dominant performance to win on the judges' scorecards.
Alvarez is set to return on May 6 live on DAZN when he defends his undisputed super middleweight title against John Ryder, and if he gets past his British challenger, a rematch with Bivol seems likely.
But when speaking to Little Giant Boxing, Kornilov questioned whether the Mexican really wants the fight.
“If that happens, I’ve said it before that I’m not 100% sure," Kornilov said.
“Why am i sceptical? To be honest, I don’t really understand why they would want to do it. I think that Canelo himself has that mentality that he really wants it, but from the sense that I get it just doesn’t make a lot of sense for them.”
Bivol's manager then went onto reveal that there are certain conditions from both camps which are making this rematch a difficult one to make including the weight for the contest with the WBA 175lb champion is willing to drop down to super middleweight for the fight. However, this is different to Alvarez's desire to return to light heavyweight and prove his critics wrong.
"Bivol already beat him. He’s not as motivated and there’s not really that big of a challenge of him. So they have to meet certain terms that we’re asking for, and one of those terms right now is Bivol wants to fight him at 168.
"First of all, it’s enticing for him [to have] all the titles on the line, and he doesn’t want anymore excuses. Because Canelo said after the last fight that he went up in weight, but he’s done that before.”