Canelo Alvarez’s got caught by Russian champion Saturday night.
Undefeated Dmitry Bivol beat boxing’s former pound-for-pound king in Alvarez’s attempt to become a two-time light heavyweight champion. Alvarez entered the ring at T-Mobile Arena as more than a 5-1 favorite, according to MGM Grand’s sportsbook, but Bivol, a career-long light heavyweight, had offensive and defensive answers for the four-division champion throughout their 12-round, 175-pound title fight and won a unanimous decision.
Bivol’s determination and skill seemed to frustrate Alvarez at times and the hard-hitting Mexican superstar couldn’t hurt an opponent who owned a four-inch height advantage and seemingly out-weighed the undisputed super middleweight champion on fight night. Judges Tim Cheatham, Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld scored the fight exactly the same, 115-113, for Bivol.
“I proved myself today,” Bivol told DAZN’s Chris Mannix in the ring. “I’m the best in my [division]. I keep this belt. And thank you [to Canelo]. And sorry I broke your plans with Gennadiy Golovkin. Thank you to Canelo and his team. He’s a great champion.”
The 31-year-old Alvarez was denied in his bid to become a two-time light heavyweight champion and lost for the first time in more than 8½ years. Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) hadn’t been defeated before Bivol beat him since undefeated Floyd Mayweather, then boxing’s pound-for-pound king, out-boxed Alvarez and won a majority decision in their 12-round junior middleweight title fight in September 2013 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“He’s a great champion,” Alvarez told Mannix, according to a translator. “Sometimes in boxing, you win and you lose. I’m not gonna make excuses. I lost today and he won.”
