By Luke Furman

The mandatory fight between WBC light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson (29-1, 24 KOs) and challenger Eleider Alvarez (23-0, 11 KOs) is heading to a date in the early fall, according promoter Yvon Michel of GYM.

Michel, who promotes both boxers, expects the World Boxing Council to issue a letter which directs the two boxers to face each other or head to a purse bid.

The two boxers were in action last month in a doubleheader, where Stevenson blew out Andrzej Fonfara in the second round of their rematch. And Alvarez had a dominating twelve round decision over former WBC champion Jean Pascal.

Michel had hoped to match Stevenson against the winner of last month's rematch between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev, but he doubts that will happen. Ward stopped Kovalev in the eight round to retain the IBF, WBA, WBO light heavyweight titles.

Michel says Ward discussed several possible future options and none of them included a unification with Stevenson. With a unification fight looking very unlikely, Michel is focusing his energy on finalizing the fight between Stevenson and Alvarez.

"Andre Ward has succeeded in understanding Kovalev's style and making the adjustments required to be able to control him and control the rhythm quite quickly. What surprised me is that he managed to get a victory by KO, because he not usually a power puncher," Michel told Radio Canada.

"The WBC was clear. The Stevenson-Alvarez fight must take place unless there is the possibility of a unification fight. However, Andre Ward did not talk much about Adonis Stevenson after his fight. He spoke of the possibility of going to cruiserweight and going in the direction of Anthony Joshua, a heavyweight fight. Ward is going to take his time. He never rushes his decisions.

"I think we're headed for an Alvarez-Stevenson fight early in the fall."

Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.