Saul "Canelo" Alvarez is on a quest to become one of the greatest boxers in the world. He is looking to add another title to his collection. Sunday 8th of May, he will face off against Dmitry Bivol for Bivol's WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The four-division champion unified the super middleweight division in just 11 months' time. His last fight was a win over IBF champion Caleb Plant last November. Since suffering the only loss of his career to Floyd Mayweather in 2013, Canelo is 15-0-1.
Many believe that this could be the most brutal fight of Canelo’s career, with the undefeated Bivol (19-0) a much different boxer than Plant, Saunders, or anyone else that Canelo has fought before, and he could be a bridge too far for the Mexican superstar.
British sports promoter, Eddie Hearn agrees.
“I’ve got to tell you, I’m not even talking about Canelo Alvarez against GGG until this Bivol fight is over,” Hearn said. “I saw clips of Bivol. He’s looking sensational on the pads — his footwork, his movement, his punching power. I’m telling you now; this may be the toughest fight of Canelo Alvarez’s career outside of Floyd Mayweather. This is a really tough fight."
Bivol looks to defend his title for the 11th consecutive time if he overcomes Alvarez's challenge. Depending on who you talk to, some people consider Bivol the top guy at 175 pounds while others consider unified champion Artur Beterbiev the king of the light heavyweights. Hearn believes that Bivol has more attributes than Beterbiev, which gives him the edge.
“Dmitry Bivol is 100% in his prime, I don’t think you’ve ever seen the best of him, and they truly believe they’re going to win. Canelo looks like an absolute f**** beast, and he’s ready to put on a show in Las Vegas next week,” said Hearn.
The physique of Canelo has made news recently, showing off a bulky look as he prepares for the fight and to move up a division in weight.
Despite the prospect of a bumper encounter if he is able to progress beyond his upcoming test, Alvarez has admitted he is excited at returning to 175lbs and is focused on the current task at hand. “I like the idea of going back to 175, facing the second-best fighter in that division," Alvarez told reporters.
"He’s a champion. For me, it’s the beginning of making history. He’s a good champion too. That’s why I picked him, he’s a good fighter. He has something to offer. He’s bigger than me and he’s a good fighter. I like that. He’s a better fighter than these guys."
Alvarez was initially exploring the opportunity of making an even bigger weight jump by fighting in a cruiserweight bow against WBC champion Ilunga Makabu. The organisation sanctioned the bout to take place and the pair faced-off during an annual convention in Mexico and Makabu remains a possible opponent for Alvarez's third and final fight of 2022 in December.