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WATCH: Dmitry Bivol Becomes the First Fighter Since Floyd Mayweather to Defeat Canelo Alvarez
The stage at the T-Mobile Arena was set on fire by the resounding cheers from boxing fans. Undisputed super middleweight champion, Canelo Alvarez, returned to the light heavyweight division to face the reigning behemoth, Dmitry Bivol.
The titans gave their all in their battle for glory. Meanwhile, boxing fans were witnesses to a true display of pugilistic prowess.
Alvarez came in as the more experienced fighter, with a stellar record of 57-1-2. He was last seen in the ring on November 6, 2021, when he faced Caleb Plant at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. He became the undisputed super middleweight champion by defeating Plant via knockout.
Meanwhile, Bivol was coming in with an intimidating winning streak of 19-0 with 11 knockouts. He was last seen in the ring on December 11, 2021, when he faced Umar Salamov at the KRK Uralets in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Bivol retained his WBA (Super) light heavyweight title by being declared the winner by decision.
Dmitry Bivol retains his throne
The event started off with the singing of both the Mexican and American national anthems. Mexican singer Carin Leon sang the Mexican national anthem, while ‘Golden Pipes’ Carnell Johnson sang the American national anthem.
The entry of both the fighters was truly a sight to behold. Bivol seemed like a party crasher at Alvarez’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. He was welcomed with what seemed like an equal amount of cheers and boos.
However, Alvarez’s entry sent the crowd into a defeating frenzy. He entered with the music of a Mariachi band and along with an array of Flamenco dancers.
The P4P King makes his way to the ring! @Canelo#CaneloBivol | @DAZNBoxing PPV pic.twitter.com/MDdqN9hexY
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) May 8, 2022
The fight did not start slow. However, both fighters paced themselves while aiming for body shots. Alvarez maintained a tight guard all throughout. But Bivol landed a few jabs, trying to find out what works for himself and continuously worked on his reach.
Bivol sure was in control from the start. Moreover, his stellar footwork helped him stay immaculate with his defense.
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Alvarez went more into the offense from the fourth round. However, Bivol stayed super cautious with his defense. He also served Alvarez with multiple brutal barrages. In fact, this shocked Alvarez enough to dish out more. Bivol reigns as the overlord of catch and counters in this bout.
Bivol lands several punches and Canelo wants more
Watch #CaneloBivol | Live on https://t.co/FoiaUtUyQV worldwide, excl. Latin America & Mexico | DAZN PPV in US & Canada pic.twitter.com/U3p3u6vJmj
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 8, 2022
Alvarez also had a hard time keeping Bivol on the ropes. Although Bivol stayed laser-focused, while also delivering merciless combinations. Moreover, Alvarez looked in awful shape because of taking severe punishment from Bivol.
It seems like the formidable Alvarez finally met his match.
#CaneloBivol is heating up @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/4txgCcppHt
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) May 8, 2022
In fact, the frustration got to Alvarez enough to make him carry Bivol on his shoulders across the ring. Alvarez tried to finish strong in the final round. However, he was no match for Bivol’s technical prowess.
All the three judges scored the bout identically, 115 to 113 in favor of Bivol. Thereby, making him the winner by a unanimous decision.
Was Bivol’s victory well deserved? Let us know in the comments below.
The post WATCH: Dmitry Bivol Becomes the First Fighter Since Floyd Mayweather to Defeat Canelo Alvarez appeared first on EssentiallySports.
