Alvarez to face Kovalev on November 2

LOS ANGELES, California: Middleweight king Canelo Alvarez is to make a two-division jump in weight classes to take on Russia’s WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, it was confirmed on Friday.

Alvarez, 29, announced the November 2 date in Las Vegas in a short post on Twitter. Online streaming service DAZN also confirmed the bout.

World Boxing Council title-holder Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) has never fought at light heavyweight before.

Alvarez and Kovalev, 36, had been in negotiations earlier this year to fight in October, only for Kovalev to reject an offer from the Alvarez camp.

Alvarez meanwhile was stripped of his International Boxing Federation belt after refusing to accept a fight against mandatory challenger Sergey Derevyanchenko.

In comments to ESPN on Friday, Alvarez said he was relishing the challenge of facing the naturally bigger Kovalev, who retained his title with an 11th-round knockout of Britain’s Anthony Yarde last month.