Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez v Dmitry Bivol - 7th May 2022

[Master]

The six fight plan that could officially make Canelo Alvarez one of the greatest of all time

The aim of every boxer is to be the greatest and Canelo Alvarez is no exception.

The Mexican still feels like he’s got a lot of work to do in order to be regarded as the greatest but has full confidence in himself moving forward.

This weekend he steps into the ring to battle Dmitry Bivol in Las Vegas as he constantly cements his legacy.

Alvarez hasn’t discussed a potential retirement date but he’s built up a resumè consisting of 60 professional fights and will reach the age of 32 this July.

TalkSPORT have recently compiled a list of six potential fights which Canelo could look to tick off which can help him become the all-time great.

The list is based off a strategy Alvarez and many others have used in boxing, choosing opponents whilst attempting to minimise risks and maximise rewards as the Mexican continues to move through weight divisions as the pound-for-pound king.

6. Dmitry Bivol

Lining up with real life, the list of six fights needed for Canelo begins with his next opponent. Bivol is undefeated but it still proves to follow a strategy of picking a weaker champion.

Bivol, while looking explosive in his early career, has won his last six fights by decision which could lead him to be predictable and easy for Canelo to figure out.

5. Gennady Golovkin

These two genuinely dislike each other. Canelo chose to turn down alternate fights to line up the Bivol and Golovkin pathway.

Alvarez only has a few fights that grossed over $100 million, which includes the two against Golovkin and there is still huge public interest in a third fight between the Mexican and his counterpart.

4. Arter Beterbiev

Similar to previous strategies, Arter is a fantastic boxer but could be past his best. He’s undefeated with 17 straight knockout wins and the clear number one at 175lbs but has showed signs of slowing.

He’s suffered from injuries in his career and if he can win against Joe Smith Jr, Canelo could capitalise on Beterbiev’s undisputed title win and may go after the glory in early 2023.

3. Ilunga Makabu

This point stands so long as Makabu is still the weakest cruiserweight holder.

This fight nearly happened late last year when an application was apparently submitted by Canelo’s manager Eddy Reynoso but the boxer himself claimed not to know anything about it.

Makabu has strung many wins together recently but snuck through Thabiso Mchunu by decision meaning he could be vulnerable.

2. Mairis Briedis

This one is less straight forward since Briedis holds an impressive 28-1 record in the cruiserweight division.

Mairis is 39 but has a style that may age well and should Canelo deem it necessary Briedis could find himself being chased by Canelo.

Alvarez could be given the chance to become a four-weight lineal champion which has before been unheard of. It’s the type of victory which goes a long way in the Mexican’s chase for all-time greatness.

1. Oleksandr Usyk

If Canelo really wants to bring his career to new heights, he should look to unpick one of the smaller heavyweight competitors.

There are alternatives and, of course, a heavyweight like Tyson Fury would be well off any possibility due to size but it might not get much bigger than Usyk.

The Ukrainian is one of the best boxers on the planet but due to him being last on the list, this fight would happen quite a way down the line.

By that time there is a chance Usyk, or an alternative smaller heavyweight, slips up or shows signs of ageing it may not take much for Canelo to take that career defining risk.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...6b21f5b49e7b5b

[Spicoli]

Combing thru my thick skull I cannot remember a time I've seen a fighter willfully look passed his next opponent with some of the silly shit Canelo and Hearn are spouting. Just a franchise and champ with so much smoke blown up its pant leg they just walk on clouds? The Golovkin is 'light work', the Usyk talk etc. Or head games? Draw Bivol into more of a machismo game early. Bivol will have to come harder than he's shown recently regardless as that in-out pogo fencing won't quite get it done. I'd love to see Bivol look to strike very early, he has the mix of accurate power to keep Canelo on the reset in big gaps ..I think. No draws, no drunk judges, no Laurence Cole and no NC and we're good, let's have a top notch fight!

[palmerq]

I'm actually quite surprised people arent giving Alvarez a hard time here, especially considering his last run of opponents..bivol is nearly a super middleweight he does have a height advantage and moves well but he's not a big puncher, I'm thinking this is going to be a pretty simple and convincing win for Alvarez. It just seems odd to me that people would savage plant, saunders and Smith as opponents but rate bivol but wotever.. i like both, i rated bivol as the number one light heavyweight in one of baalphas old threads but i changed my mind on him a bit after he looked a bit lightweight. He's still obviously pretty good.

[Spicoli]

I'm actually quite surprised people arent giving Alvarez a hard time here, especially considering his last run of opponents..bivol is nearly a super middleweight he does have a height advantage and moves well but he's not a big puncher, I'm thinking this is going to be a pretty simple and convincing win for Alvarez. It just seems odd to me that people would savage plant, saunders and Smith as opponents but rate bivol but wotever.. i like both, i rated bivol as the number one light heavyweight in one of baalphas old threads but i changed my mind on him a bit after he looked a bit lightweight. He's still obviously pretty good.

Bivol had a quick run there that I don't think any of those guys can claim really. Plant for all the over slicked backfoot he came with was not on Bivols level. Talented for sure, but he was holding that for Canelo I hate to say. And until Bivol comes in off of a coked up fatty bender and being handed a trinket vs a guy named Shefat he's just not the same as Saunders . Holding a clear cut win over a now current 175 champ in Smith Jr has to mean something I suppose. It's a solid fight, all credit to Canelo if he dusts him off impressively which I do suspect via the body work accumulation late. But Bivol is imo his best complete test since 160lb days.

[palmerq]

Well yeah saunders had some crap performances and is a total git but someone like fury does the same stuff as he saunders and looks a bit crap v lesser opponents and then people are ranking him in the top ten heavyweights of all time :S sure saunders has had some crap fights but he's pretty good when he's on form and he was when it mattered, until a Mexican broke his face ...

Is beating joe Smit Jr really that impressive, bivol was also holding himself up on the ropes and the end of a round near the end, that could have been over with a few more seconds .

[Master]

I am hoping that Bivol wins so intend to stay up to watch this fight.

Last time I did that for a Canelo fight was against Smith who I really thought would win. Hope I am not wrong again.

[Primo Carnera]

Well yeah saunders had some crap performances and is a total git but someone like fury does the same stuff as he saunders and looks a bit crap v lesser opponents and then people are ranking him in the top ten heavyweights of all time :S sure saunders has had some crap fights but he's pretty good when he's on form and he was when it mattered, until a Mexican broke his face ...

Is beating joe Smit Jr really that impressive, bivol was also holding himself up on the ropes and the end of a round near the end, that could have been over with a few more seconds .

Ok, we can discuss the merits of each opponent and their weight class etc. But the common denominator is Canelo. So a simple question. Would Bivol beat the Billy Joe Saunders that went in the ring with Canelo? Forget about weights because Canelo is the one fighting both of them.
I say the Saunders that fought Canelo, because that probably isn’t “Prime” Saunders, and was more of a money grab.

[Mark TKO]

Once again I know nothing about a Canelo opponent but reading the comments it seems a few give him a chance. Surprises me

Still won't be watching but will get to early to catch it on YouTube.

[TitoFan]

Everyone's weighing in on Canelo's latest opponents and so will I.

Beginning with Kovalev, who inexplicably fought like a deer in headlights until Canelo put him out of his misery. The type of fight that raises eyebrows, although I tend to dismiss claims of shady dealings behind the scenes for the good of my love of boxing.

Callum was another one. Gave away all his physical advantages and dutifully stood there, taking his beating. After Callum, I was having serious doubts.

Let's skip Yildirim, shall we.

Saunders finally restored my faith in Canelo's opponents. He fought well, maybe even well enough to be on his way to a decision win geez... WTF am I saying?? Must've had a brain freeze there. There is no such thing as a decision win over Canelo. That animal succumbed to extinction many years ago. Unfortunately, one uppercut from a man who started his career at super welter, and all hell broke loose in Sanders' face. Hmm... Ok.

Finally, Plant. Good effort... not the talent everyone had him pegged as. Of course, 168 isn't exactly the premier division in boxing, so there's that.




Which brings us to Bivol. But as has been mentioned here. Not content with having Bivol in front of him, there's all kinds of B.S. legacy-building talk about facing Usyk. After all, it's been clear since Day One that the ultimate goal of the Canelo Hype-Building Machine is to place Canelo atop boxing history as TBE. And I must say... it's been a well thought out, constructed, methodical but careful march toward that goal. With a glitch maybe when they bit off more than they could chew when they demanded and got Floyd... but well carried out nonetheless. Even that glitch was almost erased by one judge. Maybe if CJ had had a twin sister... history would now be different. But alas... the other two judges didn't get the memo.

I too, think Bivol should win this fight. I applaud that there are no catchweights or diva demands as with all other Canelo fights. But there is that one lurking factor that keeps me from being overconfident in Bivol.

I keep thinking about Kovalev and Callum.