Canelo vs Bivol LIVE: Fight stream, latest updates and how to watch tonight
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s relentless quest to conquer as many divisions as possible will continue this evening, as the Mexican challenges Dmitry Bivol for the WBA light-heavyweight title. Canelo (57-1-2, 39 knockouts) has held multiple belts across four weight classes, and tonight he returns to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and to the division in which he took WBO gold from Sergey Kovalev in 2019. Standing between Alvarez and another title, however, is the unbeaten Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs).
Last time out, Canelo ended Caleb Plant’s resistance in the 11th round to become the first ever undisputed super-middleweight champion in the four-belt era – and Mexico’s first ever undisputed champion in any division. Should the 31-year-old triumph here, he will go head to head with old rival Gennady Golovkin for the third time, but Canelo is already looking ahead to the possibility of a catchweight clash with Oleksandr Usyk – the former undisputed cruiserweight champion who now holds heavyweight gold.
Yet Canelo, although seen by most fans and pundits as boxing’s pound-for-pound No 1 fighter, cannot afford to overlook Bivol. The Russian is yet to taste defeat, and what the 31-year-old lacks in power (he is without a finish in four years) he makes up for in aggression and tenacity. Follow live updates from Canelo vs Bivol and the undercard, below.
Canelo vs Bivol
Ring walks expected around 4.15am BST
WBA light-heavyweight title on the line
Canelo vs Bivol
01:48 , Tom Kershaw
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
01:43 , Tom Kershaw
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
Canelo vs Bivol
01:37 , Tom Kershaw
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.
