BoxRec

Bivol probably wins

A real LHW challenge for Canelo, against the young, fit, hungry and high level operator.

Dmitry Bivol is a talented guy with exquisite and often underappreciated skills.

He might even be the best 175lb-er competing today. And I feel he poses a bigger challenge for Canelo to overcome than Beterbiev is capable of doing.

However, Bivol recently looked poor against the UK domestic level Craig Richards. He also delivered a workmanlike, though unimpressive, performance during his most recent outing against the unproven Umar Salamov.

Dmitry’s form has noticeably dipped during the last couple of years and I also don’t think he’s heavy-handed enough to gain Canelo’s respect (i.e. recently scoring six consecutive decision victories over predominantly lacklustre opposition).

Even though I feel that Dmitry Bivol is probably Canelo’s toughest (or at least, most awkward) challenge from those fighters competing from 160lbs to 175lbs, the Mexican beats the Russian by a comfortable margin on the judges’ scorecards, regardless as to whether the bout is fought at 168lbs, 175lbs or an in-between catchweight.

Sources: Canelo Alvarez close to 2-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing to face Dmitry Bivol, Gennadiy Golovkin

Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin, at long last, are on the verge of a trilogy fight.

Alvarez and Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing are closing in on a two-fight deal worth upward of $85 million for boxing's top star to compete on DAZN, sources told ESPN. The first fight would pit Alvarez against light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7 in a return to 175 pounds.

Provided Alvarez wins, as expected, he would defend his undisputed 168-pound championship against GGG in a long-awaited grudge match Sept. 17, per sources.

Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) will first meet Ryota Murata in a rescheduled 160-pound title unification in the spring in Tokyo, and, like Alvarez, will have to emerge victorious to keep the third fight intact.

The deal has not been agreed to nor signed yet, sources said, but negotiations are approaching the finish line.

For weeks, Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) has mulled this two-fight offer from Hearn alongside a one-fight offer from Al Haymon's PBC to defend his four super middleweight belts against Jermall Charlo on May 7. The PBC offer is worth upward of $45 million guaranteed, sources said.

ESPN's No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer signed a one-fight deal with PBC last year ahead of an 11th-round TKO of Caleb Plant on Showtime PPV. Alvarez earned $40 million guaranteed for that win. His three previous bouts were promoted by Hearn, including title victories over Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders.

The 31-year-old signed an 11-fight, $365 million deal with DAZN in 2018 shortly after he defeated GGG in a September rematch that headlined an HBO pay-per-view event.

But after just three fights, Alvarez sued his longtime promoter, Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, and DAZN. The suit was settled and Alvarez gained his freedom.

A fight with Bivol, ESPN's No. 2 light heavyweight, would be Alvarez's second at 175 pounds. His lone light heavyweight fight was an 11th-round KO of Sergey Kovalev in a November 2019 title bout.

Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs) would present an opportunity for Alvarez to chase a second title reign at 175 pounds. The 31-year-old from Russia is a tricky boxer who is adept at controlling range with his excellent jab. What he hasn't done recently is entertain, with two decision wins in 2021 that featured little action.

The biggest prize of all, at least commercially, is a third meeting with Alvarez's rival GGG. The future Hall of Famers fought to a spirited draw in their 2017 bout for the middleweight championship before Alvarez scored a majority-decision victory one year later in another close contest.

Both bouts produced over 1 million pay-per-view buys and over $20 million in gate receipts. Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) has expressed his willingness to fight Alvarez a third time on numerous occasions.

Now approaching his 40th birthday, time is running out. GGG was set to meet Murata in December, but COVID-19 restrictions in Japan forced the fight's postponement.

DrDuke wrote: ↑10 Feb 2022, 03:02 A real LHW challenge for Canelo, against the young, fit, hungry and high level operator.

Tbh I'd believe it when the fight gets on.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 15:11

Canelo rejected $100m for two very winnable bouts against Charlo and Benavidez?

The PBC must have requested imposing all sorts of dodgy clauses for the Mexican to reject that sort of money!

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 16:59

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 15:11

Canelo rejected $100m for two very winnable bouts against Charlo and Benavidez?

The PBC must have requested imposing all sorts of dodgy clauses for the Mexican to reject that sort of money!

Well they went from a one fight deal to offering two fights..

What clause you reckon they would add to make Canelo say no thank you?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 17:00

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 16:59

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 15:11

Canelo rejected $100m for two very winnable bouts against Charlo and Benavidez?

The PBC must have requested imposing all sorts of dodgy clauses for the Mexican to reject that sort of money!

Well they went from a one fight deal to offering two fights..

What clause you reckon they would add to make Canelo say no thank you?

Canelo nearly rejected the Plant bout, because the PBC wanted Canelo to accept a pay cut if the injury-prone Caleb withdrew, resulting in the Mexican facing a substitute opponent.

Canelo wanted full pay regardless of whomever he was facing.

Perhaps something like that compelled Canelo to turn down the PBC’s offer.

Cancelo by robbery decision

maybe the winner will get a shot at boxrec's #1 light heavy, callum smith

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 18:44 maybe the winner will get a shot at boxrec's #1 light heavy, callum smith

I'm curious who your top 3 or 5 favorite fighters are? Like EO, (perhaps the same person) you seem to spend more time cutting down instead of promoting boxers.

man, so many boxers i love, dudes who will fight the best and dudes who just come to throw some heat

big josh, usyk, smokin joe smith, canelo, mungy, boots ennis, virgil ortiz, loma, tank, jc martinez, nava, inoue, choclatito........you'll find me praising lotsa dudes like this, i dont just come on here to accuse everyone of ducking the same 3 guys, like some posters do

I mean, if this comes as part of a package deal with GGG 3, it's 100% foregone that Canelo could sit on his stool all round reading magazines and still be taking the fight on the scorecards. Bivol's gettin' looked right past.

looks like bivol's wait for the canelo lottery paid off

canelo fights top dudes, bivol would be another, and even a guy with a potentially tricky sstyle for him. canelo aint the type to just talk about fighting top opponents, like so many others are

gotta admire that about cinnamon bun

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 07:41 canelo fights top dudes, bivol would be another, and even a guy with a potentially tricky sstyle for him. canelo aint the type to just talk about fighting top opponents, like so many others are

gotta admire that about cinnamon bun

Easy to take any fight knowing you will not be allowed to lose.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 06:58

That's fairly harsh words, but in all fairness, Canelo is entitled to set the record straight.

Coppinger's original tweet has been deleted.

Bivol@175 and GGG@168(assuming he'll look good vs Murata) are better fights than Charlo, Andrade or Benavidez.

joshj909 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 11:06

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 07:41 canelo fights top dudes, bivol would be another, and even a guy with a potentially tricky sstyle for him. canelo aint the type to just talk about fighting top opponents, like so many others are

gotta admire that about cinnamon bun

Easy to take any fight knowing you will not be allowed to lose.

The business world of boxing, unlike the folks at Pfizer, understands that the Canelo product still has a few years of profitable shelf life left before it will be time to come out with a new marketable product.

Since the GGG 1 fight, when Canelo got a gift decision ? I don't remember. Canelo is getting much stronger and savvy. Canelo is a massive wrecking ball to his next opponents.