Report: Eleider Alvarez, Joe Smith slated for mid-July bout on ESPN

Eleider Alvarez and Joe Smith Jr. have agreed in principle on a headline fight that will take place the week of July 13 in Las Vegas, sources told Mike Coppinger of The Athletic.

The bout will air on ESPN.

Alvarez, 25-1, is coming off a knockout victory over Michael Seals in January. That was his first fight since February 2019 when he lost a rematch to Sergey Kovalev by a unanimous decision, dropping the WBO light heavyweight championship belt he claimed after knocking out Kovalev in their first encounter.

Smith, 25-3, also won his most recent fight in January, defeating Jesse Hart by a split decision in Atlantic City.

Whoever takes this clash will face off against the winner of the Umar Salamov vs. Maxim Vlasov bout to crown a new WBO light heavyweight champion. Canelo Alvarez vacated that title last December.