Official: Joshua Clottey ‘imminent’ as next ‘Canelo’ Alvarez opponent

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has an “imminent” deal to fight former welterweight world champion Joshua Clottey on Dec. 6 in Houston, boxing officials close to the negotiations told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday.

The officials were not authorized to immediately speak publicly as contracts remained unsigned.

Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 knockouts), who last week struck a new agreement to have his bouts televised on HBO pay-per-view, this year has defeated Alfredo Angulo (technical knockout in March) and Erislandy Lara (split decision in July).

The popular 24-year-old former junior-middleweight world champion from Mexico is pointing himself toward a May 2015 super-fight against middleweight world champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico.

Alvarez’s September 2013 loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. was the highest-grossing pay-per-view card in boxing history.

The 36-year-old Clottey (38-4, 22 KOs) has fought just three times since an embarrassing 2010 performance against Manny Pacquiao at Cowboys Stadium.

In that bout, Clottey took some early abuse from the hard-punching Pacquiao and retreated to a defensive position in which he repeatedly covered his head with his arms and gloves.

Clottey most recently fought in Australia in April, defeating former middleweight title challenger Anthony Mundine by unanimous decision.

Negotiators at Golden Boy Promotions worked to position hard-hitting Texan James Kirkland as Alvarez’s opponent, but Kirkland was deemed “not cooperative,” feuding with his promoter, rapper 50 Cent, and failing to agree to terms.

Alvarez-Clottey at this hour appears as if it will be fought in Houston’s Minute Maid Park, home of the Astros, but NRG Stadium is also a possibility, according to a boxing official involved in the negotiations but unauthorized to discuss the talks publicly.

Twitter: @latimespugmire