Canelo Alvarez forfeits WBO light heavyweight title

On Tuesday, it was revealed that Alvarez would be dropping the WBO light heavyweight title, so he could "comply with the World Boxing Organization's prohibition against its champions holding titles from other sanctioning organizations in multiple weight classes."

Canelo addressed it all in a press release statement.

"I know that my accomplishments in the ring have brought pride to my fans and my country," Alvarez said. "I have long enjoyed my relationship with the WBO and appreciate all they do to preserve and enhance the sport of boxing. This agreement allows the WBO to have its light heavyweight title contested regularly and allows me to pursue bouts against the best opponents, regardless of weight class."

Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) capped off a stellar 2019 when he scored an 11th-round knockout of Sergey Kovalev on Nov. 2 to capture the WBO belt and win his fourth world title in four different divisions. In May, Alvarez beat Daniel Jacobs by unanimous decision to add the IBF middleweight title to his collection.

Even though he relinquished a belt (he also was stripped of the IBF title earlier in the year when negotiations for his mandatory defense against Sergiy Derevyanchenko fell apart), the 29-year-old is still the WBA middleweight champion and WBC "Franchise" champion along with the WBA (regular) super middleweight titleholder. Part of Alvarez's agreement to hand over the belt to the WBO was that he would become the mandatory challenger to a champion in any weight class he chooses to compete in the future.

"Canelo has already accomplished much in boxing and is still a young man," Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel, president of the WBO, said. "When his career is done, he will be regarded as one of the greatest boxers to ever step into the ring and one of Mexico's best fighters ever. We look forward to his future fights against rivals at the top of the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and other divisions." 

Alvarez is expected to return to the ring in May, live on DAZN. It is unknown who he will face and what weight class the fight will take place in.