Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: Fight Date Announced and Reaction

Boxing will celebrate Cinco de Mayo weekend in style with a Saturday, May 6 showdown featuring Saul "Canelo" Alvarez taking on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

According to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya announced Alvarez vs. Chavez will take place at a venue still to be determined on HBO pay-per-view. 

Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and Chavez (50-2-1, 1 NC) will fight at 164.5 pounds, which has been a talking point leading up to the fight being signed. 

According to Miguel Rivera of BoxingScene.com, Canelo recently requested the fight take place at 164 pounds after it was previously thought it would be a catchweight matchup at 165 pounds. 

On Wednesday, De La Hoya tweeted directly to Chavez about the contract to fight Alvarez:

The weight is notable because it does potentially move things one step closer to a long-awaited showdown between Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. De La Hoya and Golovkin's promoter Tom Loeffler met last summer and agreed Canelo and GGG would finally lock horns in the fall of 2017. 

Mike Coppinger of USA Today reported Alvarez vs. Golovkin would take place at 160 pounds. 

Alvarez typically fights at 154 pounds, so jumping up 10.5 pounds in weight helps to prepare him for the added mass in a potential megafight with Golovkin. 

This doesn't overlook Chavez or his potential for an upset. The 30-year-old has been steadily decreasing his weight, fighting catchweight bouts at 170 pounds and 169 pounds in his last two fights, so he will be equipped to handle less weight against Alvarez.

The lone blemish on Alvarez's resume was against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013. He's rebounded with six straight wins, including back-to-back finishes of Amir Khan and Liam Smith.