Canelo Alvarez is set to return on Sept. 17.

This much we know.

But where and against whom remain unresolved issues, and the longer they remain open, the more the boxing world stays on edge, teetering on the brink, ready to pounce.

Golden Boy Promotions has requested a hold on the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for Sept. 17 for Alvarez, according to Golden Boy VP Eric Gomez. Golden Boy also has AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas reserved for Sept. 17, Gomez said. “There’s an offer to fight at Dallas Stadium,” Gomez told RingTV.com. “We’re going to continue those talks.”

Golden Boy is also in discussions with Madison Square Garden about bringing Alvarez to the Big Apple in September, Gomez said. “We’re looking to reserve something in New York, but we haven’t decided yet,” he said. “MSG is very interested in Canelo. They really want him.” So Alvarez’s next fight could apparently land in either Sin City, the Lone Star State or at The Mecca.

Of course, Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 knockouts) needs a dance partner. Golden Boy brass is in contact with Tom Loeffler, who represents WBA/WBC/IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (35-0, 32 KOs). “I had a call yesterday with Tom Loeffler,” Gomez said. “We have a meeting on Monday to follow up on our discussion.”

Gomez added, “We’re going to sit down with Tom Loeffler. If it’s something that benefits all of us — whether it’s time to do the fight in September, whether there’s enough time to put a great promotion together — we’re going to give it a real shot. We’re going to see exactly what they’re looking for and if we can make it happen, we’ll make it happen. And if not, then there’s a slew of other guys out there.”

Golden Boy is looking at several contingency plans “just in case the Golovkin thing goes south,” Gomez said. “There’s a possible rematch with (Miguel) Cotto,” Gomez said, referencing Alvarez’s unanimous decision win against Cotto last November that was a box office success. “But right now, everything is up in the air.”

Alvarez could easily slide down to junior middleweight — it’s not that much of a move since Alvarez had been fighting at 155 pounds — and face some of the top junior middleweights. “Everybody at 154 to 160,” Gomez said. “Canelo can still make 154 and he told us, ‘Look, get me the best possible fight at ’54 and ’60. So everybody is being considered.”

In other words, Golden Boy is reviewing its options. And they’re doing so on a reduced timetable after Golden Boy executives spent the past three weeks in a Miami courtroom, fighting a breach-of-contract case with All-Star Boxing over Alvarez. Talks with Golovkin all but stopped during that time. Golden Boy was exonerated on the most serious charges but Alvarez was ordered to pay All-Star Boxing $8.5 million; he plans to appeal. “When you go through a court case like we did, it takes a lot out of you,” Gomez acknowledged. “And so now we have our full attention on (Alvarez’s next fight). So now’s the time to start working everything out.”

Meanwhile, a large segment of the boxing universe has been spewing invective at Alvarez and Golden Boy for not making the fight with Golovkin sooner. The WBC had ordered the fight to transpire only for Alvarez to vacate the WBC middleweight title last month, citing a need to get out from under the WBC’s constraints. His actions left some fans confused as to his true intentions. Gomez understands the stakes and emotions involved in the match-up.

“He wants the Golovkin fight,” Gomez said of Alvarez. “We want to make it. We know it’s a big fight. We know it’s the next mega-fight. And if it’s the right deal, we’re going to make it happen. If it’s a great deal to face Golovkin — and it’s too good of an offer to pass up — then you know what? We’re going to take a hard look at it and see if we can make it happen.”

Mitch Abramson is a former reporter at the New York Daily News and can be reached on Twitter at: @Mabramson13.