Alvarez is suing Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya and DAZN, related to breaches of the 11-fight deal he signed in 2018
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is suing his promoter Golden Boy Promotions, chairman Oscar De La Hoya and broadcast partner DAZN, claiming damages of at least $280million (£217m).
The 24-page lawsuit – issued on Wednesday in the United States District Court for the Central District of California – cites breach of contract, intentional interference with a contract, negligent interference with a contract, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty related to the five-year, 11-fight deal worth $365m (£283m) that Alvarez signed with streaming service DAZN on October 2018.
The 30-year-old, whose only career defeat in 56 fights came against Floyd Mayweather in 2013, has won world titles at light-middleweight, middleweight, super-middleweight and light-heavyweight.
DAZN reportedly wish to pay him less than half the $35m (£27m) he is due to receive for each fight due to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on live audiences and travel restrictions. Canelo has not fought for 10 months.
Under the terms of his DAZN contract, Alvarez was due to fight twice each year on Mexican holiday weekends in May and September, with Golden Boy receiving $5m (£4m) per fight.
Since 2018, Canelo has fought Rocky Fielding, Daniel Jacobs, and moved up two weight divisions to defeat Sergey Kovalev at light heavyweight in November last year.
“Despite Alvarez’s successes, both DAZN and Golden Boy have broken the promises they made to each other, Alvarez, and boxing fans,” the lawsuit said. “In doing so defendants have breached their respective contracts and caused Alvarez damages of – at least – $280m.”
In a statement to Boxing Scene, Alvarez said: “I’m the pound-for-pound No 1 in the world. I’m not scared of any opponent in the ring, and I’m not going to let failures of my broadcaster or promoters keep me out of the ring. I filed the lawsuit so I can get back to boxing and give my fans the show they deserve.”
Canelo had back-to-back fights with Gennady Golovkin in 2017 and 2018, winning the second after a controversial opening draw.
DAZN want Alvarez to meet Golovkin – also under contract with them – in a trilogy fight, but that appears unlikely until crowds are allowed to return to arenas.
Canelo was due to fight the British super-middleweight world champion Billy Joe Saunders in May in Las Vegas, but that was scuppered by the Covid-19 outbreak. Saunders pulled out of a rescheduled September fight when he was offered a much reduced sum from the $8m (£6m) for the May bout.