Category: Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol

Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol: date, time, how to watch, background

Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol: date, time, how to watch, background.

Mexican star Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring against light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol this Saturday in Las Vegas on pay-per-view.

Canelo Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) vs. Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, May 7
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Cost: $79.00 ($59.99 on DAZN for subscribers)
  • Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Bivol’s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Alvarez No. 2
  • Odds: Alvarez 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Montana Love vs. Gabriel Valenzuela, junior welterweights; Filip Hrgovic vs. Zhang Zhilei, heavyweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Christian Gomez, welterweights; Joselito Velazquez vs. Jose Soto, flyweights.
  • Prediction: Alvarez UD
  • Background: Canelo Alvarez tested the 175-pound waters once before, stopping Sergey Kovalev in the 11th round of what had been a competitive fight to win the WBO title in November 2019. He could face a tougher test the second time around. The Mexican pound-for-pound star has been untouchable at 168 since winning two of the four major belts by easily outpointing Callum Smith in December 2020. He followed that with a third-round knockout of overmatched Avni Yildirim in his first defense two months later, an eighth-round stoppage of Billy Joe Saunders to add a third title two-plus months after that and a wide decision over Caleb Plant this past November to claim the fourth and final belt. There was talk that he might fight former super middleweight champ David Benavidez or middleweight beltholder Jermall Charlo. Instead, he opted to face unbeaten 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol of Russia in what he hopes will be the first step toward becoming undisputed champion at that weight, although he’s expected to fight middleweight champ Gennadiy Golovkin at 168 in September. The knock on Kovalev going into his fight against Alvarez was that he was beginning to decline at 36. Bivol, 31, appears to be in his prime. The Indio, California-based native of Kyrgyzstan is a gifted, well-schooled boxer, having been reared in the Russian amateur system. He reportedly finished his amateur career with a record of 268-15. And he picked up where he left off when he turned pro in 2014, winning a secondary world title in his 11th fight and being upgraded to “super” champion shortly before his 17th. He cemented his status as an elite fighter by defeating in succession Sullivan Barrera (TKO 12), Isaac Chilemba (UD), Jean Pascal (UD) and Joe Smith Jr. (UD) in 2018 and 2019. His subsequent opposition hasn’t been as tough but he has continued to win handily. He last fought this past December, when he easily outpointed countryman Umar Salamov in Russia. His last six fights have gone the distance, an indication that he isn’t a big puncher. However, as a 175-pounder his entire career, he’ll have a natural size advantage over Alvarez. He also will have an edge in height (6-feet to 5-8) and reach (72 inches to 70½). This will be Bivol’s first fight in the U.S. since he outpointed Lenin Castillo in October 2019.

[lawrence-related id=29947,29716]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]

Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol: date, time, how to watch, background

Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol: date, time, how to watch, background.

Mexican star Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring against light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol this Saturday in Las Vegas on pay-per-view.

Canelo Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) vs. Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, May 7
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Cost: $79.00 ($59.99 on DAZN for subscribers)
  • Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Bivol’s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Alvarez No. 2
  • Odds: Alvarez 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Montana Love vs. Gabriel Valenzuela, junior welterweights; Filip Hrgovic vs. Zhang Zhilei, heavyweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Christian Gomez, welterweights; Joselito Velazquez vs. Jose Soto, flyweights.
  • Prediction: Alvarez UD
  • Background: Canelo Alvarez tested the 175-pound waters once before, stopping Sergey Kovalev in the 11th round of what had been a competitive fight to win the WBO title in November 2019. He could face a tougher test the second time around. The Mexican pound-for-pound star has been untouchable at 168 since winning two of the four major belts by easily outpointing Callum Smith in December 2020. He followed that with a third-round knockout of overmatched Avni Yildirim in his first defense two months later, an eighth-round stoppage of Billy Joe Saunders to add a third title two-plus months after that and a wide decision over Caleb Plant this past November to claim the fourth and final belt. There was talk that he might fight former super middleweight champ David Benavidez or middleweight beltholder Jermall Charlo. Instead, he opted to face unbeaten 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol of Russia in what he hopes will be the first step toward becoming undisputed champion at that weight, although he’s expected to fight middleweight champ Gennadiy Golovkin at 168 in September. The knock on Kovalev going into his fight against Alvarez was that he was beginning to decline at 36. Bivol, 31, appears to be in his prime. The Indio, California-based native of Kyrgyzstan is a gifted, well-schooled boxer, having been reared in the Russian amateur system. He reportedly finished his amateur career with a record of 268-15. And he picked up where he left off when he turned pro in 2014, winning a secondary world title in his 11th fight and being upgraded to “super” champion shortly before his 17th. He cemented his status as an elite fighter by defeating in succession Sullivan Barrera (TKO 12), Isaac Chilemba (UD), Jean Pascal (UD) and Joe Smith Jr. (UD) in 2018 and 2019. His subsequent opposition hasn’t been as tough but he has continued to win handily. He last fought this past December, when he easily outpointed countryman Umar Salamov in Russia. His last six fights have gone the distance, an indication that he isn’t a big puncher. However, as a 175-pounder his entire career, he’ll have a natural size advantage over Alvarez. He also will have an edge in height (6-feet to 5-8) and reach (72 inches to 70½). This will be Bivol’s first fight in the U.S. since he outpointed Lenin Castillo in October 2019.

[lawrence-related id=29947,29716]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]

Opinion: Dmitry Bivol has legitimate chance to beat Canelo Alvarez

Light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol has a legitimate chance to beat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Is light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol a legitimate threat to Canelo Alvarez?

That’s the most pressing question going into Bivol’s pay-per-view defense against the undisputed and celebrated super middleweight champion Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

And the answer is yes.

That doesn’t mean Bivol will necessarily win the fight. He probably won’t. Alvarez is around a 4-1 favorite and No. 1 on most pound-for-pound lists – No. 2 on Boxing Junkie’s – for a reason: He’s one of the best fighters of his generation.

It does mean that Bivol has a better chance of beating Alvarez than any other opponent since the Mexican star’s other fight at 175 pounds, an 11th-round knockout of a stubborn Sergey Kovalev in 2019.

Since then, Alvarez has recorded one-sided victories over Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant, the first and latter two of whom are solid fighters.

Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs) is simply better, at least on paper.

The WBA beltholder has a strong fundamental foundation, having compiled a reported record of 268-15 as part of the Russian amateur program. And he has been impressive since turning professional in 2014, having built a strong resume.

Most notably, in 2018 and 2019, he easily defeated in succession Sullivan Barrera, Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal and Joe Smith Jr. That run of victories over seasoned contenders left no doubt about Bivol’s ability.

His last three victims – Lenin Castillo, Craig Richards and Umar Salamov – weren’t as formidable as the four mentioned above but perhaps that’s a result of his rivals’ reluctance to face him even though he holds a major world title.

Cynics will point out the fact that Bivol failed to stop his last six opponents, an indication that he has limited punching power. That probably is one reason Alvarez chose to fight Bivol as opposed to, say, knockout artist Artur Beterbiev.

That said, Bivol is no weakling. He doesn’t have concussive power, as Beterbiev does, but he doesn’t slap. His punches are heavy. Watch the video of his fight against veteran Jean Pascal (embedded here), who was stopped in his tracks by solid shots over and over again.

And it should be pointed out that he did stop 11 of his first 13 opponents.

He also will have a natural size advantage on Saturday. He’s 6-feet tall, compared to the 5-8 Alvarez.  He has a reported reach of 72 inches, Alvarez 70½. And, most important, he fought much of his amateur career and all of his pro fights as a light heavyweight.

The only other fighter who could make the same claim was Kovalev, another good boxer who fought Alvarez on roughly even terms until he was finally stopped late in the fight.

What about Bivol’s lack of knockouts in recent fights?

That’s in part the result of his style. He’s a polished technician who focuses more on baffling opponents than hurting them, although, again, he has enough power to keep anyone honest.

He’s a particularly good defensive fighter, which has confounded one opponent after another. He has a knack for avoiding clean punches. Alvarez could have the same experience, at least in the first half of the fight and maybe longer.

One could say Bivol’s a bigger, better version of the capable Saunders, who gave a good account of himself against Alvarez until a punch caused his eye to swell and he couldn’t continue after eight rounds.

Again, Bivol faces an uphill battle against Alvarez. The pound-for-pounder is a master at dissecting and then methodically breaking down his opponents, which generally leads to wide unanimous-decision victories or brutal knockouts.

The point of this column is that fans can expect a competitive fight. Bivol has the ability, he has the size, he has the motivation. An upset would change his life forever.

And I, for one, wouldn’t be shocked to see that happen.

[lawrence-related id=29716,28526]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]

Opinion: Dmitry Bivol has legitimate chance to beat Canelo Alvarez

Light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol has a legitimate chance to beat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Is light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol a legitimate threat to Canelo Alvarez?

That’s the most pressing question going into Bivol’s pay-per-view defense against the undisputed and celebrated super middleweight champion Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

And the answer is yes.

That doesn’t mean Bivol will necessarily win the fight. He probably won’t. Alvarez is around a 4-1 favorite and No. 1 on most pound-for-pound lists – No. 2 on Boxing Junkie’s – for a reason: He’s one of the best fighters of his generation.

It does mean that Bivol has a better chance of beating Alvarez than any other opponent since the Mexican star’s other fight at 175 pounds, an 11th-round knockout of a stubborn Sergey Kovalev in 2019.

Since then, Alvarez has recorded one-sided victories over Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant, the first and latter two of whom are solid fighters.

Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs) is simply better, at least on paper.

The WBA beltholder has a strong fundamental foundation, having compiled a reported record of 268-15 as part of the Russian amateur program. And he has been impressive since turning professional in 2014, having built a strong resume.

Most notably, in 2018 and 2019, he easily defeated in succession Sullivan Barrera, Isaac Chilemba, Jean Pascal and Joe Smith Jr. That run of victories over seasoned contenders left no doubt about Bivol’s ability.

His last three victims – Lenin Castillo, Craig Richards and Umar Salamov – weren’t as formidable as the four mentioned above but perhaps that’s a result of his rivals’ reluctance to face him even though he holds a major world title.

Cynics will point out the fact that Bivol failed to stop his last six opponents, an indication that he has limited punching power. That probably is one reason Alvarez chose to fight Bivol as opposed to, say, knockout artist Artur Beterbiev.

That said, Bivol is no weakling. He doesn’t have concussive power, as Beterbiev does, but he doesn’t slap. His punches are heavy. Watch the video of his fight against veteran Jean Pascal (embedded here), who was stopped in his tracks by solid shots over and over again.

And it should be pointed out that he did stop 11 of his first 13 opponents.

He also will have a natural size advantage on Saturday. He’s 6-feet tall, compared to the 5-8 Alvarez.  He has a reported reach of 72 inches, Alvarez 70½. And, most important, he fought much of his amateur career and all of his pro fights as a light heavyweight.

The only other fighter who could make the same claim was Kovalev, another good boxer who fought Alvarez on roughly even terms until he was finally stopped late in the fight.

What about Bivol’s lack of knockouts in recent fights?

That’s in part the result of his style. He’s a polished technician who focuses more on baffling opponents than hurting them, although, again, he has enough power to keep anyone honest.

He’s a particularly good defensive fighter, which has confounded one opponent after another. He has a knack for avoiding clean punches. Alvarez could have the same experience, at least in the first half of the fight and maybe longer.

One could say Bivol’s a bigger, better version of the capable Saunders, who gave a good account of himself against Alvarez until a punch caused his eye to swell and he couldn’t continue after eight rounds.

Again, Bivol faces an uphill battle against Alvarez. The pound-for-pounder is a master at dissecting and then methodically breaking down his opponents, which generally leads to wide unanimous-decision victories or brutal knockouts.

The point of this column is that fans can expect a competitive fight. Bivol has the ability, he has the size, he has the motivation. An upset would change his life forever.

And I, for one, wouldn’t be shocked to see that happen.

[lawrence-related id=29716,28526]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]

Fight Week: It’s Cinco de Canelo time once again in Las Vegas

Fight Week: It’s Cinco de Canelo time once again in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring against light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol this Saturday in Las Vegas on pay-per-view.

Canelo Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) vs. Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, May 7
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Bivol’s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Alvarez No. 2
  • Odds: Alvarez 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Montana Love vs. Gabriel Valenzuela, junior welterweights; Filip Hrgovic vs. Zhang Zhilei, heavyweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Christian Gomez, welterweights; Joselito Velazquez vs. Jose Soto, flyweights.
  • Prediction: Alvarez UD
  • Background: Canelo Alvarez tested the 175-pound waters once before, stopping Sergey Kovalev in the 11th round of what had been a competitive fight to win the WBO title in November 2019. He could face a tougher test the second time around. The Mexican pound-for-pound star has been untouchable at 168 since winning two of the four major belts by easily outpointing Callum Smith in December 2020. He followed that with a third-round knockout of overmatched Avni Yildirim in his first defense two months later, an eighth-round stoppage of Billy Joe Saunders to add a third title two-plus months after that and a wide decision over Caleb Plant this past November to claim the fourth and final belt. There was talk that he might fight former super middleweight champ David Benavidez or middleweight beltholder Jermall Charlo. Instead, he opted to face unbeaten 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol of Russia in what he hopes will be the first step toward becoming undisputed champion at that weight, although he’s expected to fight middleweight champ Gennadiy Golovkin at 168 in September. The knock on Kovalev going into his fight against Alvarez was that he was beginning to decline at 36. Bivol, 31, appears to be in his prime. The Indio, California-based native of Kyrgyzstan is a gifted, well-schooled boxer, having been reared in the Russian amateur system. He reportedly finished his amateur career with a record of 268-15. And he picked up where he left off when he turned pro in 2014, winning a secondary world title in his 11th fight and being upgraded to “super” champion shortly before his 17th. He cemented his status as an elite fighter by defeating in succession Sullivan Barrera (TKO 12), Isaac Chilemba (UD), Jean Pascal (UD) and Joe Smith Jr. (UD) in 2018 and 2019. His subsequent opposition hasn’t been as tough but he has continued to win handily. He last fought this past December, when he easily outpointed countryman Umar Salamov in Russia. His last six fights have gone the distance, an indication that he isn’t a big puncher. However, as a 175-pounder his entire career, he’ll have a natural size advantage over Alvarez. He also will have an edge in height (6-feet to 5-8) and reach (72 inches to 70½). This will be Bivol’s first fight in the U.S. since he outpointed Lenin Castillo in October 2019.

 

Also fighting this week:

THURSDAY

  • Bryan Acosta vs. Benito Sanchez Garcia, featherweights, Toronto (DAZN).

SATURDAY

  • Lenier Pero vs. Hector Perez, heavyweights, Hialeah, Florida (FITE).
  • Danny Gonzalez vs. Paulo Galindo, welterweights, New York (FITE).

[lawrence-related id=29716,29251,28526,28409]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]

Fight Week: It’s Cinco de Canelo time once again in Las Vegas

Fight Week: It’s Cinco de Canelo time once again in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

Undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring against light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol this Saturday in Las Vegas on pay-per-view.

Canelo Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) vs. Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, May 7
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
  • Rounds: 12
  • At stake: Bivol’s WBA title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Alvarez No. 2
  • Odds: Alvarez 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Montana Love vs. Gabriel Valenzuela, junior welterweights; Filip Hrgovic vs. Zhang Zhilei, heavyweights; Shakhram Giyasov vs. Christian Gomez, welterweights; Joselito Velazquez vs. Jose Soto, flyweights.
  • Prediction: Alvarez UD
  • Background: Canelo Alvarez tested the 175-pound waters once before, stopping Sergey Kovalev in the 11th round of what had been a competitive fight to win the WBO title in November 2019. He could face a tougher test the second time around. The Mexican pound-for-pound star has been untouchable at 168 since winning two of the four major belts by easily outpointing Callum Smith in December 2020. He followed that with a third-round knockout of overmatched Avni Yildirim in his first defense two months later, an eighth-round stoppage of Billy Joe Saunders to add a third title two-plus months after that and a wide decision over Caleb Plant this past November to claim the fourth and final belt. There was talk that he might fight former super middleweight champ David Benavidez or middleweight beltholder Jermall Charlo. Instead, he opted to face unbeaten 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol of Russia in what he hopes will be the first step toward becoming undisputed champion at that weight, although he’s expected to fight middleweight champ Gennadiy Golovkin at 168 in September. The knock on Kovalev going into his fight against Alvarez was that he was beginning to decline at 36. Bivol, 31, appears to be in his prime. The Indio, California-based native of Kyrgyzstan is a gifted, well-schooled boxer, having been reared in the Russian amateur system. He reportedly finished his amateur career with a record of 268-15. And he picked up where he left off when he turned pro in 2014, winning a secondary world title in his 11th fight and being upgraded to “super” champion shortly before his 17th. He cemented his status as an elite fighter by defeating in succession Sullivan Barrera (TKO 12), Isaac Chilemba (UD), Jean Pascal (UD) and Joe Smith Jr. (UD) in 2018 and 2019. His subsequent opposition hasn’t been as tough but he has continued to win handily. He last fought this past December, when he easily outpointed countryman Umar Salamov in Russia. His last six fights have gone the distance, an indication that he isn’t a big puncher. However, as a 175-pounder his entire career, he’ll have a natural size advantage over Alvarez. He also will have an edge in height (6-feet to 5-8) and reach (72 inches to 70½). This will be Bivol’s first fight in the U.S. since he outpointed Lenin Castillo in October 2019.

 

Also fighting this week:

THURSDAY

  • Bryan Acosta vs. Benito Sanchez Garcia, featherweights, Toronto (DAZN).

SATURDAY

  • Lenier Pero vs. Hector Perez, heavyweights, Hialeah, Florida (FITE).
  • Danny Gonzalez vs. Paulo Galindo, welterweights, New York (FITE).

[lawrence-related id=29716,29251,28526,28409]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]

Canelo Alvarez says he wants ‘to be undisputed at 175’ pounds

Canelo Alvarez says he wants “to be undisputed (champion)at 175” pounds.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published at DAZN.com.

Canelo Alvarez could be about to launch a campaign to dominate another division.

The 31-year-old Mexican star is already in possession of all four belts at 168 pounds. And he’s set to challenger WBA 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7 in Las Vegas (DAZN).

Were he to secure the strap, Alvarez would need to face the winner of the June 18 fight between WBC and IBF beltholder Artur Beterbiev and WBO champ Joe Smith Jr. to become undisputed light heavyweight champion.

That would probably take place late this year or next year because Alvarez is expected to face Gennadiy Golovkin a third time before the end of this year.

Speaking to TMZ, Canelo said he had no plans to slow down despite his success.

“I hope [I continue to stay in boxing for] a long time, because I’m gonna miss boxing when I’m retired. Right now, [I have] six years more, seven, five, I don’t know,” he said.

“I love boxing. I love a challenge. I love that adrenaline. I need to accomplish everything to be in the books of history of boxing. That’s why I’m here and I love what I do.

“When you see the best fighter go up and down a weight class and beat all the champions? I think nobody, and I try to do my best. For boxing, for me, for my legacy.”

Alvarez added that Bivol is no pushover.

“[Dmitry’s] a really good boxer,” he said. “He’s a solid champion at 175. It’s a dangerous fight. I like it, I love that kind of challenge. I really like it. But, I believe in my abilities, and I’m strong too. So, I’m confident in that, but it’s gonna be a really good fight.

“I like the idea to be undisputed at 175. That’s what I like, but you never know.”

[lawrence-related id=29251,28722,28526]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]

Canelo Alvarez says he wants ‘to be undisputed at 175’ pounds

Canelo Alvarez says he wants “to be undisputed (champion)at 175” pounds.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published at DAZN.com.

Canelo Alvarez could be about to launch a campaign to dominate another division.

The 31-year-old Mexican star is already in possession of all four belts at 168 pounds. And he’s set to challenger WBA 175-pound titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7 in Las Vegas (DAZN).

Were he to secure the strap, Alvarez would need to face the winner of the June 18 fight between WBC and IBF beltholder Artur Beterbiev and WBO champ Joe Smith Jr. to become undisputed light heavyweight champion.

That would probably take place late this year or next year because Alvarez is expected to face Gennadiy Golovkin a third time before the end of this year.

Speaking to TMZ, Canelo said he had no plans to slow down despite his success.

“I hope [I continue to stay in boxing for] a long time, because I’m gonna miss boxing when I’m retired. Right now, [I have] six years more, seven, five, I don’t know,” he said.

“I love boxing. I love a challenge. I love that adrenaline. I need to accomplish everything to be in the books of history of boxing. That’s why I’m here and I love what I do.

“When you see the best fighter go up and down a weight class and beat all the champions? I think nobody, and I try to do my best. For boxing, for me, for my legacy.”

Alvarez added that Bivol is no pushover.

“[Dmitry’s] a really good boxer,” he said. “He’s a solid champion at 175. It’s a dangerous fight. I like it, I love that kind of challenge. I really like it. But, I believe in my abilities, and I’m strong too. So, I’m confident in that, but it’s gonna be a really good fight.

“I like the idea to be undisputed at 175. That’s what I like, but you never know.”

[lawrence-related id=29251,28722,28526]

[vertical-gallery id=28534]