CANELO ALVAREZ
VS. AVNI YILDIRIM
THE MEXICAN STAR DEFENDS HIS TITLES AGAINST HIS MANDATORY CHALLENGER ON SATURDAY IN MIAMI
- When: Saturday, Feb. 27
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
- How to watch: DAZN (download app) and pay-per-view
- Cost: DAZN is $19.99 per month or $99 annually. PPV is $49.99 in U.S. Includes DAZN subscription through the end of April 2021 with purchase.
- Division: Super middleweight (168 pounds)
- Rounds: 12
- At stake: Alvarez’s WBA and WBC titles
- Odds: Alvarez 21-1 (BetMGM)
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CANELO ALVAREZ BIO
- Record: 54-1-2, 36 KOs
- Current titles: WBA and WBC super middleweight
- Other titles: WBC junior middleweight (2011-13), WBC middleweight (2015-16), WBO junior middleweight (2016-17), WBA and WBC middleweight (2018-20), IBF middleweight (2019), WBO light heavyweight (2019-20), WBA and WBC super middleweight (2020-present)
- Home country: Mexico (Guadalajara)
- Age: 30
- Pro debut: 2005
- Pro rounds: 414
- Height: 5 feet, 8 inches (173 cm)
- Reach: 70½ inches (179 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Trainer: Eddy Reynoso
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AVNI YILDIRIM BIO
- Record: 21-2 (12 KOs)
- Current titles: None
- Other titles: None
- Home country: Turkey (Istanbul)
- Age: 29
- Pro debut: 2014
- Pro rounds: 132
- Height: 5 feet, 11½ inch (182 cm)
- Reach: 70 inches (178 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Trainer: Ahmet Oner
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WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH
Canelo Alvarez is fighting. Is there a better reason? The Mexican star is 30. Who knows how many more high quality performances are left in him, although he shows no signs of slowing down Plus, this fight sets up what could be back-to-back title-unification showdowns with Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant this year. The downside of the fight on Saturday is obvious: Yildirim, a 21-1 underdog, has almost no chance to win. Alvarez is levels above the solid, but limited Turk, who is the mandatory challenger to the WBC title. If you like to watch an overmatched challenger endure a one-side beating, this fight is for you. And, hey, a lot of people will be watching.
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FIVE KEY QUESTIONS
How much better is Alvarez than Yildirim? A lot. Yildirim is taller and naturally bigger than Alvarez. Otherwise, Canelo has all the advantages.
Does Yildirim have a chance? Of course. He can land a lucky punch. Alvarez could get cut. Anything can happen in boxing.
Is Alvarez fighting again too soon? Doubtful. He went 12 rounds but had an easy time with Callum Smith two months ago.
Could Alvarez be overlooking Yildirim? Not a chance. No one is boxing is more professional than Alvarez. He takes ’em one fight at at time.
Could this be Alvarez’s biggest year? One of them if he fights and beats both Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant to unify all the 168-pound titles.
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WHY ALVAREZ WILL WIN
Yildirim is taller than Alvarez, as most of his opponents are. And he’s naturally somewhat bigger. However, that means next to nothing when you compare their abilities and experience. Alvarez has significant advantages across the board — speed, athleticism, skill, power, ring IQ and durability. Yildirim was stopped in three rounds by Chris Eubank Jr. in 2017. And the gulf in experience is wide: Alvarez, who turned pro at 15, has fought 414 professional rounds, Yildirim 132. Alvarez is better, smarter and tougher than his opponent. Hence the odds.
WHY YILDIRIM WILL WIN
Yildirim has faced fighters 168 pounds or bigger his entire career. He should be able to handle Alvarez’s punches, at least for a while. His best bet is to box as well as he can, land punches here and there to prevent Alvarez from finding his rhythm, avoid taking too much punishment and somehow get into the second half of the fight. Then, perhaps, Alvarez will begin to tire and Yildirim can fight more aggressively and win rounds or hurt Alvarez. This scenario is highly unlikely … but possible.
PREDICTION
Alvarez will be Alvarez. He’ll take his time, wait for openings and then pounce when they present themselves. And they will present themselves. Yildirim is a decent boxer with some toughness but he doesn’t have the tools to cope with what Alvarez brings. The Turk will absorb the punches he takes in the early rounds but the more that land, the more they will wear him down. He will have taken too much punishment by the eighth or ninth round, at which time he will take a 10 count or the fight will be stopped by the referee or Yildirim’s corner.
Alvarez KO 9
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ALSO ON THE CARD
- Julioe Cesar Martinez vs. vs. McWilliams Arroyo, flyweights (for Martinez’s WBC title)
- Zhang Zhilei vs. Jerry Forrest, heavyweights
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