The anticipated junior middleweight matchup between former champ Canelo Alvarez and top contender Erislandy Lara has apparently been made for July 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The fight will headline a Showtime Pay Per View broadcast.

News of the fight being made was confirmed by BoxingScene.com, which spoke to Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, the promotional company of both Alvarez and Lara.

Lara, a 31-year-old former Cuban amateur star, was scheduled to face former beltholder Ishe Smith on May 2. The ring savvy southpaw has withdrawn from that fight to face Alvarez, who he has called out numerous times on Twitter and in person.

Alvarez-Lara will be a scheduled 12-round non-title bout and Lara's "regular" WBA 154-pound belt will not be on the line. The weight of the fight has been set at 154 pounds, give or take a pound, which means the fighters can weigh-in at 155 pounds as Alvarez did for his fight with Alfredo Angulo last month. Alvarez (43-1, 31 knockouts) stopped Angulo after 10 one-sided rounds to rebound from a decision loss to Mayweather last September.

Angulo is a common opponent for Alvarez and Lara (19-1-2, 12 KOs), who was dropped twice by the hardnosed Mexican pressure fighter before scoring a 10th-round technical stoppage last June. Both Alvarez and Lara have also fought Austin Trout. Both dropped the contender en route to decision victories last year but most fans believe Lara handled his fellow souhtpaw better than the 23-year-old Mexican star did.

More details on the fight to come.

Watch a video of Lara challenging Alvarez at the post-fight press conference for Alvarez's stoppage victory over Angulo on March 8:

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