By Brian Mazique

Per multiple Japanese news outlets, Canelo Alvarez and Ryota Murata have agreed to a fight on May 24(May 23 in the U.S.) in Japan at the Saitama Super Arena.

The 29-year-old Canelo (53-1-2, 36 KO) is the reigning WBA Super World Middleweight Champion, and the 34-year-old Murata is the secondary titleholder with the governing body. From that standpoint, the fight makes sense, but Murata (16-2, 13 KO) is not the sort of name that will resonate with American fight fans.

Despite winning a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, signing with Top Rank boxing back in 2013, splitting fights with Rob Brant and dethroning the American via TKO in July 2019, Murata is still a relative unknown in the states.

Also having the fight in Japan may serve as a bigger disconnect for Canelo’s Mexican and American fans who aren’t likely to be make the trip. However, that’s where DAZN will come in.

The streaming service has exclusive rights to Canelo’s fights in the U.S. and that is how the vast majority of his fans will have to see the fight. Canelo is obviously the A-side in the negotiations, so why travel to Japan to fight Murata in his backyard?

The opportunity to fight in Japan is likely a very lucrative one for Canelo. Floyd Mayweather, whose potential return may have pushed Canelo off his traditional Cinco de Mayo date, made a fortune for an exhibition fight with Tenshin Nasukawa in December 2018 in the same arena.

The WBA connection, the assumed favorable matchup, and the lure of the money available on top of Canelo’s DAZN agreement could have been the factors that helped the Mexican superstar choose Murata over opponents like Dmitry Bivol, Billy Joe Saunders or Callum Smith.

Whatever the case, expect boxing fans to become more acquainted with the Japanese star in the months and weeks leading up to the late-May showdown.

Article courtesy of Forbes