Canelo vs Bivol LIVE result: Alvarez suffers first defeat in almost nine years in WBA light-heavyweight title fight
Relive all the action from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
Canelo Alvarez has been defeated in a unanimous points decision which allowed Dmitry Bivol to retain his WBA light-heavyweight title and maintain his unbeaten record.
Alvarez moved up a divison to the heaviest weight of his career to endure 12 rounds in Las Vegas with the Russian, who joined Floyd Mayweather as the only people to beat the 31-year-old.
Bivol, also 31, landed cleaner and harder shots throughout the night, with Alvarez’s night summed up when he resorted to lifting his opponent during a clinch in the 11th round.
After three tight opening rounds, the Kyrgyz-born boxer began to use his superior height and reach to pepper Alvarez with jabs and largely kept him at bay for the rest of the encounter.
The three judges all handed down scores of 115-113 in favour of Bivol (20-0, 11 KOs).
Alvarez, whose last loss came via majority decision against Mayweather in 2013, said “of course” he wanted a rematch following the defeat, adding: “This doesn’t end like this.” Relive all the action below:
Canelo vs Bivol
Next up is Marc Castro, a 22-year-old prospect from California who has fought six times as a professional.
Castro avoided an upset when he got up off the canvas and ground out a points decision victory against Julio Madera last time out.
Canelo vs Bivol
The undercard is getting underway now in Las Vegas, and it’s a simple night for Zhang Zhilei.
The Chinese heavyweight was supposed to face Filip Hrgovic in an IBF title eliminator, however, the Croatian withdrew last week after his father passed away.
Scott Alexander was hastily brought in as a replacement at short notice and the fight lasted just one round.
Zhang and Hrgovic’s bout will now be rearranged for later this year.
Canelo vs Bivol
Canelo is stepping up a weight division again tonight against Bivol, but Eddie Hearn believes the Mexican could attempt to move all the way up to heavyweight in the future.
Speaking to JOE, he said: “When we talk about mindset and winning, he genuinely believes he can beat Oleksandr Usyk for the world heavyweight title.
“He said to me ‘if you can make that fight at one pound above cruiserweight - which obviously Usyk was a cruiserweight - I will beat him’.
“I find it hard not to believe him. Sometimes, the only way someone like Canelo Alvarez or Vasyl Lomachenko gets beat is when they keep moving up in weight outside of where they should be.
“That’s maybe how Canelo Alvarez gets beat, (when) it’s a challenge too far.”
Canelo vs Bivol
On Saturday night in Las Vegas, shortly after 8pm local time, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will lock eyes with Dmitry Bivol.
In the 47 minutes that follow, should the fight go to the judges’ scorecards, any distance between the respective boxing abilities of the combatants will be revealed.
In those initial moments, though, when the pair touch gloves under the T-Mobile Arena lights, there will be very little separating them.
What is crucial for Canelo is that, when he locks eyes with Bivol, his gaze remains fixed. Because, days out from his clash with the WBA light-heavyweight champion, it appears the Mexican already has his eyes on bigger bouts.
Canelo Alvarez, Dmitry Bivol, and the danger of ambition
If Canelo beats Bivol this weekend then a third clash with Gennady Golovkin awaits – but the Mexican is already eyeing a move up to face Oleksandr Usyk
Canelo vs Bivol
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage as Canelo Alvarez challenges Dmitry Bivol for the WBA light-heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
Alvarez became the undisputed super-middleweight champion when he stopped Caleb Plant last year and has now stepped up a weight division to face Bivol. The Russian champion is unbeaten as a professional and represents a tricky test, even if there are doubts over the power of his punches.
If Alvarez is successful tonight, he is set to meet Gennady Golovkin in a trilogy fight in September.
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