Icons confirm hotly anticipated trilogy

Two of boxing's thoroughbreds will fight for a third time in Las Vegas in a few months' time after Matchroom Boxing confirmed that the trilogy bout between Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin will take place at the T-Mobile Arena on September 20. 

The fight was officially announced by Eddie Hearn's promotional group following weeks of speculation and just over a month after Alvarez suffered just the second defeat of his illustrious career against Russia's still-unbeaten Dmitry Bivol.

Canelo had suggested immediately afterwards that he would pursue a rematch with Bivol after the stinging unanimous decision defeat, but has instead opted to settle things with his Kazakh rival in a fight which will come four years after the two last met in the ring.

Golovkin, meanwhile, has faced accusations that his advanced age (he turned 40 in April) has dulled some of the weapons which made him one of boxing's most feared fighters but his last outing - a ninth-round TKO win against Ryoto Murata in April - showed that 'GGG' still remains one of the sport's most feared punchers. 

The forthcoming fight will be the latest chapter in an extended rivalry between the pair which has seen two razor-close fights to date.

The first, in September 2017, was declared a split draw in a fight which many observers felt that Golovkin got the upper hand but Canelo removed all (or at least some of the) doubt a year later when his hand was raised in the rematch by majority decision. 

However, it is thought by some boxing insiders that the four years which have elapsed since their last fight should hand something of an advantage to Canelo, who remains firmly within the prime of his career at just 31 years of age.

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Russia's Bivol stuns Canelo in Las Vegas (VIDEO)

For Canelo, the move to put some separation between him and Dmitry Bivol is an interesting one. 

Hearn had suggested in the wake of the loss to Bivol that a second consecutive defeat for his fighter could irreparably damage his career - a statement which makes the selection of opponent perhaps quite revealing.

“The mirage of Canelo being this unbeatable fighter,” Hearn told DAZN after the Bivol defeat. 

“Two losses almost put your career in the balance.”

As for Canelo, he said that his career has shown that he is unafraid of any challenge in the boxing ring, no matter at which weight it comes.

“I risk everything to keep making history when I don't need to risk anything,” he said.

“I've already achieved so many things.

“I'm in a position where I don't have to risk anything, and I still do it. Nobody does that when they are in a position like the one I'm in.”