Dmitry Bivol is still the WBA (Super) light-heavyweight champion after upsetting Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
The Russian earned a unanimous decision win over the Mexican in Las Vegas to retain his title against the 4 division champ.
Though not a household name compared to Canelo, Dmitry Bivol preserved his undefeated record to move to 20-0 in a blossoming career while Alvarez slipped to 57-2-2 with the loss.
All three judges scored the fight 115-113 in Bivol’s favor at the end of 12 rounds.
Bivol had to fight not just the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world but a sellout crowd as well.
But Alvarez, the overwhelming pre-fight favorite, was rarely able to find a way through Bivol’s defensive guard as the 31-year-old put on a disciplined display.
“I’m glad I proved myself today, I’m the best in my division and I keep this belt,” said Bivol. “He’s a great champion, I respect him and all his team.
“If you don’t believe in yourself what do you do? You achieve nothing. I believe and my team believed in me.
“I felt his power. You can see on my arm, he beat my arm up but not my head. That’s better.”
The Russian regularly used his jab to keep Alvarez on his heels, unloading flurries of punches to redden the smaller man’s face and convince the judges to award him the fight.
Alvarez had previously won at light-heavyweight, defeating Sergey Kovalev by knockout to win the World Boxing Organization version of the title in Nov. 2019, but Bivol proved too good to succumb.
“You have to accept it, it’s boxing,” Alvarez said of the loss. “He’s a great champion. Sometimes in boxing, you win and lose and I’m not giving excuses. I lost today and he won.”
Alvarez stressed he wanted a rematch.
“Yeah, of course, I do,” he said when asked about a rematch. “This doesn’t end like this.”
Bivol, too, is keen to face off once more.
“Let’s talk about a rematch,” he said. “I wanted this fight because I wanted to get the opportunity and I appreciate this opportunity.
“I’m ready for a rematch, I just want to be treated as the champion now.”
