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Bivol Stuns Canelo To Retain
His Light Heavyweight Belt
By William Trillo
Photos: German Villasenor
Like a Quarterback standing in the pocket and avoiding a
heavy defensive rush Light Heavyweight Dmitrii Bivol
(20-0, 11 KO’s) not only stood in there with Saul Canelo
Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KO’s) but he did not get sacked. In
fact, Bivol did what no one in the packed T-Mobile Arena
was expecting, he ruined the Cinco May Festivities by
defeating Canelo handily. The Matchroom promoted fight
that was streamed by DAZN will surely go down as one of
the biggest upsets in boxing this year.
The fight started as most fights do with the first round
basically being a feeling out round that saw Canelo
testing the range on his right hands. For his part Bivol
was just getting his radar fine tuned.
As round two started it was clear that Bivol had no
intention on fighting from long range. He was keeping
what seemed to be a dangerously close distance
considering he was in there with a fighter known to have
serious concussive power. But Canelo was missing his
uppercuts and not landing flush with anything.
In round three it was obvious there was a method to
Bivols madness, and it was working. Combinations to the
head of Canelo were landing and frustrating both Canelo
and the crowd. They were not expecting this.
Round four saw an uncomfortable Canelo lay on the ropes
while taking shots from Bivol. The punches from Bivol
were not the type that had KO written on them, but what
they were doing was tallying up points as Canelo looked
confused and without an answer.
In round five Canelo had just taken more punishment on
the ropes but when Bivol stepped back to recharge a
frustrated Canelo tried to wave Bivol back in. But by
now Bivol’s gameplan was set and he was not going to
fall for Canelo’s trap. The bait was not taken.
Canelo literally did nothing in round six. Although
Bivol was not pressing the attack hard he was doing a
lot more that Canelo who was, as I said, doing nothing.
Now the craftiness of Bivol was plain to see in round
seven and eight, even to the Pro-Canelo crowd. Canelo
could not land a flush glove on him. It’s not that Bivol
was running or staying out of range. He was right there,
but when Canelo threw a punch Bivol would shift his feet
or move his head and Canelo’s punches were rendered
meaningless.
Canelo pressed hard in round nine, but even with that he
just did not seem to be able to get any real offensive
threat going. No matter how hard he was trying, Bivol
had an answer to shut down Canelo’s charge.
If anyone was expecting Canelo to step up his game in
the Championship rounds they were greatly disappointed.
In fact, over the course of the final rounds Bivol put
an exclamation point on what he was doing all night. He
just kept touching Canelo with combination punches,
keeping him off balance and unable to throw any blows
that would change the course of the fight.
Bivol’s gameplan was a simple one but it worked to
perfection. It’s highly doubtful he came into this fight
looking for a Knockout, but he did come to win, and win
he did.
Scores from all three judges were the same 115-113 x 3.
Even the house full of Canelo fans could not argue with
that. It was clear who was the better man on this night.
With the victory Bivol retained his WBA Super World
Light Heavyweight Title.
After the fight when asked about his upset victory he
said, “I proved myself tonight by beating a great
champion. I achieved what I wanted tonight, I climbed
the mountain. You have to believe, because if you don’t
believe you can do nothing.”
When asked if he thought he had frustrated Canelo he
quipped, “Ask him!”
On a rematch Bivol said, “I want the rematch but this
time I want to be treated like the champion!”
After the loss Canelo said, "Sometimes you win,
sometimes you lose. He is a good fighter, he uses his
distance and moves in and out very well. Bivol is a
great fighter.”
As to the rematch all Canelo said was, “Yes, I want it.”
Get ready for a September showdown.
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