Canelo Alvarez reportedly denied emotional Mexican homecoming against Avni Yildirim – but it could be perfect timing for Billy Joe Saunders

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez reportedly looks set to miss out on his dream homecoming fight against Avni Yildirim in Mexico next month.

Instead, the pound-for-pound superstar's mandatory defence of his newly acquired super-middleweight titles will take place in America on DAZN.

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Canelo defeated Callum Smith last month to claim the WBA and WBC titles at 168lbs and move closer to his dream of becoming an undisputed world champion.

One of the conditions for contesting the WBC belt was that the winner of the bout would have to defend against mandatory challenger Yildirim within 90 days.

The original idea was for this bout to be a homecoming for Canelo, however, according to ESPN Deportes, the pandemic has made things too difficult and so Canelo will fight in the US once again.

The plan is to get Yildirim, a Turkish journeyman who lost his last fight in February 2019 to Anthony Dirrell, out of the way before fighting on Cinco de Mayo weekend in May against one of Billy Joe Saunders, Caleb Plant or Gennady Golovkin.

British star Saunders holds the WBO strap at 168lbs, but is yet to face the star name he has craved for so long since beating Andy Lee in December 2015 to become WBO middleweight champion.

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Saunders, who is unbeaten from 30 fights, insists he is not content to wait much longer for the Mexican superstar and is considering a fight in February against Demetrius Andrade.

He told : “I’m supremely confident of knocking him [Andeade] out cold, very confident.

“Me and him have swapped messages on social media. I would love to give him a hiding. Eddie Hearn, let’s make the fight.

“Let’s get it on, rock and roll. Vacate the WBO 160kbs title, move up, tell the WBO you’re moving up and we can get it on.

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“I can make 160lbs, but why would I want to go back down to 160lbs when all the big money fights are at 168lbs, and all the big talents have come up to 168lbs?

“I don’t want to be sitting around. Let Canelo do his thing. If he’s fighting in February, I would love to fight him in May.

“But if he thinks I’m going to be sitting around until May twiddling my thumbs, he’s got another think coming.

“I’m not going to be doing that. I’m back in the gym, I’m in shape, let’s get it on. Let’s stop beating around the bush and waiting around.

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“I’m going to get sick and tired of waiting around for one of these big fights. I’m getting to the stage that if a big fight doesn’t get made then, ‘Thank you very much, see you later’.

“I’m in it for the big fights to see how good I am. Andrade, if he moves up, he jumps in front of everyone.

“The winner of us gets Canelo. It’s a brilliant plan, isn’t it?”