Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol
For a fighter who is only 5’8″ and weighed 140 pounds when he made his professional MMA debut, you’d think he’d have a weight ceiling. When it comes to Canelo Alvarez, there are no limits to his abilities.
Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) will battle WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs) on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, fresh off his 2021 fighter of the year campaign in which he became the first undisputed super middleweight champion in history (DAZN PPV, 8 p.m. ET — subscribe now).
Alvarez, 31, has not fought since he knocked out Sergey Kovalev in 2012 to win the WBC light heavyweight title, which he promptly gave up. His promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, recently revealed that Alvarez might be willing to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the unified heavyweight title if the former cruiserweight champion is willing to accept a catchweight of 201 pounds for the fight.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Alvarez was considering a fight against cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu.
On Wednesday, Alvarez told CBS Sports, “I appreciate this sort of challenge because it makes me feel alive.” In order to get the adrenaline rush I crave, I continue to practise boxing.
It’s impossible for me to stop wanting more since there are no limitations. Then then, what if you’re wrong? Is this a heavyweight fight? Maybe.”
First, Alvarez must face the excellent Bivol, a Russian native who was born in Kyrgyzstan and went on to have a successful amateur career, before he can consider any future offers at even greater weights.
With his footwork, defence, and technique, Bivol is seen as a safe fighter who can outbox opponents from a distance. If the battle demands it, can he dig in and risk his life versus Alvarez? After witnessing Alvarez continuously gain weight and remarkably take his power with him, it’s a suggestion Bivol might have to think about.
CBS Sports quoted Bivol as saying that if you are doing something well and it is helping you win the fight, you should try it again. This is not always enough, and you have to come up with something unique and convey something from your innermost self. When you have to show more of Dmitry Bivol, some opponents will do it with you. I believe Canelo is one of such fights.
“I can do it in the ring, too.” I have enough strength. I weigh 175 pounds, and I feel I am capable of anything in the ring if I put my mind to it and have faith in myself.
This fight will be like a blend of Kovalev and Golovkin, Alvarez said while discussing the difficulties of Bivol’s opponent in the Octagon. Alvarez, on the other hand, seemed to be unconcerned with Bivol’s might. Aside from a 2010 fight against Jose Miguel Cotto, the older brother of future Alvarez opponent Miguel Cotto, the Mexican superstar has never been wounded professionally.
“I don’t recall ever getting really injured,” I respond. ” According to Alvarez: “Never, never in my life,” he added. It was once in my legs when I fought Cotto’s brother, but I’ve never felt it in my mind.”
That’s why I’m able to adapt to a tall opponent’s style since I have the right sparring partners for the task.”
It’s a culmination of a lifetime of hard work for Bivol, who won the WBA super-middleweight championship in 2017 before defending it seven times against the likes of Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal, and current WBO champion Joe Smith Jr.
He says he told his team that he wanted to face the greatest so he could establish his own history when he entered professional boxing. To me, fighting Canelo is an opportunity to show myself what I’m made of in the ring against the greatest. In the ring, I’m hoping for the best. ”
Everything you need to know about the light heavyweight bout taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas can be found right here. There’s also the most recent fight card news accompanied by the most up-to-date odds from Caesars Sportsbook before we get to our picks for the main event.
Odds and fight schedule
This is the WBA light heavyweight title fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol (c).
In the heavyweight matchup, Zhilei Zhang -1500 and Scott Alexander +800, respectively,
Junior welterweights Montana Love (-700) and Gabriel Valenzuela (+500) square off.
Shakhram Giyasov (-340) vs. Christian Gomez (-270) welterweight matchup
lightweights Marc Castro (-4,000) and Pedro Vincente (+1,500) go head-to-head
Prediction
A. Campbell, Brian
When it comes to Alvarez’s recent streak of daring to be great, he may have earned more praise for challenging Bivol than for any previous bout. According to CompuBox, Bivol is among the sport’s leaders in the number of jabs he lands every round and the number of punches his opponents land overall.
In spite of his lack of power, Bivol is an exceptional combination puncher who can play chess for 12 rounds. He is one of the best boxers in the world at controlling the terms of bouts from a distance.
Most of Bivol’s problems stem from his tendency to box slowly and not take risks unless forced to do so by his opponents. Bivol is expected to be in command of the first few rounds as Alvarez tries to push his way inside. After a certain point, the only issue left will be Alvarez’s ability to harm Bivol physically and get near enough to do any real damage.
This is where the fight might become intriguing if Bivol is determined to make Alvarez pay for his advancement. After giving up so much height and reach, Alvarez will find himself at a severe disadvantage at some time against the correct opponent. Alvarez’s technical prowess makes one question whether this is the bout when he takes on more than he can handle.
Boxing against Bivol is always a bad idea since no one ever looks well. The same risk exists for Alvarez, should he get trapped in Bivol’s web of consistent punches and slick counter blows and be unable to harm him with his power.
Even though there has been a lot of chatter recently about cruiserweights, and even heavier weights like heavyweight, going up to cherry-pick only works when you target guys with major weaknesses in their game. This isn’t the kind of conflict for which you’d come out on top. Bivol through MD12 is the best option for you.
Thomas Luke
In regards to Bivol, everything you’ve stated is entirely accurate. With his jab, he’s got terrific range finding and pumping power. It has the potential to be both efficient and reliable, and it can fulfil a wide range of purposes. However, he lacks the ability to think beyond the box. He’s not one of those flashy, showy punchers. He’s a seasoned veteran with a solid grasp of the fundamentals. It’s easy to overlook the fact that Canelo is one of the most intelligent boxers in the world because of all the attention he receives for his strength and for the fact that he has never been knocked down. He’s an absolute genius.
Bivol’s jab, which has been a problem for every opponent of Bivol’s in the past, might be a huge issue for Alvarez in this bout. I believe Alvarez will have to fight from a disadvantage, but with a fighter like him, the fight will turn around by the middle rounds. It’s Canelo in the end, which is absurd to say. But I think he’ll get a clear answer from the judge. Pick: Alvarez through UD12.
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Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol.
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