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

[TIC]

canelo is taking a big risk against one of the best fighters at one seventy five next

[Master]

canelo is taking a big risk against one of the best fighters at one seventy five next

Agreed, very risky against the second best light heavyweight in the world. Canelo is not even a natural at the weight. Can not wait for this bout.

[Master]

Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez has bulked up considerably ahead of his light heavyweight clash against world champion Dmitry Bivol in Las Vegas on May 7.

Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn shared photos of the 31-year-old and he is looking much bigger than he did against Caleb Plant in November.

Canelo is a former four-weight world champion and he is looking to improve his record of 57-1-2 but Bivol will be a huge test.

The Mexican looks to have added about 10lbs of muscle in the last few months, since his victory against Plant.

Canelo has never been the best of movers in the ring and his sole defeat to Floyd Mayweather was down to that simple fact.

It will be a firm test of Canelo’s credentials as the Russian fighter is much better than some of his recent opponents.

Alvarez knows that though and he acknowledged it at the press conference to announce the fight.

He said: “I like challenges, it makes me feel alive – challenges for me are everything in my life.

“Now I have a very good fighter in front of me and I’m excited for this fight.

“Bivol is a really tough fighter and it’s going to be a really good fight for Cinco De Mayo weekend with my people in Las Vegas.

“I’m really excited and I’m going to prepare really well because this fight is going to be really hard.”

The Russian fighter has rushed to the top of the Light Heavyweight division and he has a record of 19 wins and zero losses – with 11 of those wins being via knockout.

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn is expecting an excellent fight between the two fighters.

He said: “Dmitry Bivol is undefeated, current WBA champion of the world. This young man has been looking for an opportunity like this for a long time.

“This is an outstanding champion in his absolute prime ready for the opportunity of his life against the pound-for-pound king of boxing – Saul Canelo Alvarez.”

It promises to be an intriguing contest between the fighters and it will be interesting to see whether Canelo’s bulking up will hinder him or not.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...f6f45bbe197bf4

[TIC]

canelo's looking very good. of all the big fights that are coming up this is still the one i'm most interested in

[TitoFan]

“Now I have a very good fighter in front of me and I’m excited for this fight."

("Now" being the operative word).

[TIC]

this is a fight that should really be appreciated

[TIC]

canelo is taking a big risk against one of the best fighters at one seventy five next

Agreed, very risky against the second best light heavyweight in the world. Canelo is not even a natural at the weight. Can not wait for this bout.

i also rate dmitry as number two at one seventy five going into this fight. where does everyone else rated dmitry going into the fight?

[TitoFan]

canelo is taking a big risk against one of the best fighters at one seventy five next

Agreed, very risky against the second best light heavyweight in the world. Canelo is not even a natural at the weight. Can not wait for this bout.

i also rate dmitry as number two at one seventy five going into this fight. where does everyone else rated dmitry going into the fight?

I agree.

[TIC]

no catchweight or rehydration clauses?

[TitoFan]

no catchweight or rehydration clauses?

It would appear not. I don't believe what I read in the press most of the time, (especially when it comes to boxing negotiations). But assuming this is true and comes off without any of those clauses, all respect to Canelo.

It won't erase my opinion on how his early career was handled (with his full knowledge and blessing)... but it'll go a long way toward changing my opinion of him at this point in time, and his place in boxing history.

[TIC]

dmitry looks in great shape. anyone picking dmitry? this is a dangerous opponent

undercard

[Master]

I am picking Bivol to win. He will be too big, strong and skilled for Canelo. If everything is fair.

[TitoFan]

I am picking Bivol to win. He will be too big, strong and skilled for Canelo. If everything is fair.

I agree. But.....

[palmerq]

Bivol is a smaller light heavyweight he could probably make super middleweight quite easily, pretty sure smith and plant are taller than him and saunders must be around the same height too..i don't think he'll have a strength advantage either, infact I'd guess that Alvarez is the more powerful of the two.. bivol is pretty quick and moves well though but i think Alvarez has improved fighting guys like that and he'll get a late stoppage win here.

[Master]

Boxing legend Teddy Atlas doesn't believe Canelo's hulking body transformation is natural

Teddy Atlas has stirred controversy – and a lot more – after questioning Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s bulky body transformation as he prepares for his light heavyweight debut against Dmitry Bivol.

Having moved up to the division, the Mexican seems to have substantially bulked up, as to be expected considering he needs to make a fresh weight.

Normally, you would praise a sportsman for something like that, but Atlas is seemingly all out of praise and full of doubts, questioning how the multi-weight champion has gained so much in such a short space of time.

Speaking to The Fight, he said: “This is a guy who started as junior middleweight and he’s moved all the way up.

“Junior middle, middle, light heavyweight, back to middle and I can’t see him going back down from light heavyweight because he is no longer close to that man anymore.

“Whether it’s through the natural or unnatural things, listen I don’t known (whether) it’s from eating those burgers in that Mexican shop over there.

“Maybe the Whoppers that they serve over there that have a special sauce? I don’t know.

“Listen, people get mad at me but there’s some truth in there. We know he tested positive for that stuff that you’re not supposed to put in your veins and punch somebody.

“I don’t know, maybe it was just a great weight programme of lifting weights, maybe that’s all it is.”

Atlas didn’t stop there, though, stating how Canelo has a clear weight advantage over his opponent and calling for some of the praise for him to stop.

“Whatever it is, he’s not the smaller guy anymore. So stop this ‘he’s moved up to light heavyweight and he beat a light heavyweight’.

“He’s a light heavyweight, he’s bigger than the light heavyweights now legitimately, he’s stronger.

“He’s thicker, just look at him. So he’s the bigger, stronger guy in there with a naturally bigger guy who was born to be bigger. He’s bigger.

“This is the first fight for me, for Canelo since his second fight with GGG that I actually think there’s a legitimate chance that his opponent can win – the first one.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...71baa2d4659a2e