This archive report was first published on 2 August 2019.
On August 1, 2019, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) made a shocking decision to strip Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez of his middleweight title, sparking outrage among boxing fans and promoter Oscar de la Hoya.
Alvarez, the sport's best-paid fighter, had won the title from Daniel Jacobs in May, holding the IBF, WBA, and WBC belts. However, his failure to agree a bout with the IBF's mandatory challenger, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, led to the title being stripped on Thursday.
De la Hoya, a prominent figure in the boxing world, described the decision as an 'insult to boxing and more importantly an insult to the boxing fans of the world.'
Alvarez, 29, was mandated to face Derevyanchenko but the parties failed to reach an agreement despite extensions being made to the IBF's deadline. De la Hoya also claimed that Derevyanchenko's team had been offered an 'unprecedented amount of money for a fighter of his limited stature and limited popularity.'
Alvarez's loss of the title comes as he has also lost his traditional WBC belt after the organisation controversially upgraded him to a newly formed 'franchise champion' status, with American Jermall Charlo taking his original title.
