Floyd Mayweather Jr., ‘Canelo’ Alvarez could be on same card

Negotiations for fights that will likely define the first half of 2013 are accelerating this week, beginning with the May 4 card expected to feature Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in separate bouts.

Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Richard Schaefer told The Times on Tuesday that attorneys could finalize details this week for Mayweather Jr.’s likely bout against Robert Guerrero.

Schaefer added Alvarez “will be fighting May 4, and so will Mayweather, but I’m not saying they’re fighting each other and I’m not saying anything more until we’ve finalized the agreements.”

Alvarez, the super-welterweight world champion, could fight Alfredo Angulo, James Kirkland or Austin Trout.

The location is expected to be MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Schaefer and his rival promoter Bob Arum have struck at least a minor agreement, allowing Abner Mares’ manager Frank Espinoza to serve as an intermediary to negotiate a possible April 13 super-bantamweight title unification bout between Golden Boy’s Mares and Arum’s Nonito Donaire.

Espinoza said he is “encouraged” by the momentum of the talks and contends “this is a very marketable fight between a great fighter from Mexico and a great fighter from the Philippines.”

Espinoza said he would expect to know if the fight can happen within two weeks, after Arum returns from a trip.

Though Mares (25-0-1, 13 knockouts) will likely accept a smaller purse than Donaire in the bout, Schaefer and Espinoza said they’ve proposed that should Mares win, the purses would be flip-flopped for the rematch.

Schaefer said he doubts Arum will agree because “he knows Donaire will lose.”

Yet, Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs), likely to be named the fighter of the year for 2012, would be the expected betting favorite in the bout.

Painting a grim outcome of the talks is Donaire manager Cameron Dunkin, who told The Times, “That fight’s not happening. Get over it, and let’s move in to something else.”

Dunkin said Mares is asking for too much money – cash that will not be near what HBO or Showtime would pay for the fight.

Yet, Dunkin is optimistic that a rematch between his fighter, Oxnard’s Brandon Rios, and Mike Alvarado – a possible 2012 fight of the year – will be made for March 30 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

“We’re closer, not quite there, but on the downhill slope,” Dunkin said.

There are agonizing talks underway to make a March 16 Timothy Bradley-Yuriorkis Gamboa fight at Home Depot Center in Carson.

Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs) would defend the World Boxing Organization belt he won from Manny Pacquiao in June, but the fighters at this point are trying to haggle through talks for a catch-weight limit.

Bradley has moved to 145 pounds, according to a source familiar with negotiations but unauthorized to discuss them, after 130-pound fighter Gamboa (22-0, 16 KOs) requested the bout be at 143 pounds.

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