Canelo Álvarez v Avni Yıldırım: WBA / WBC Super Middleweight Championship | sport

Canelo’s unanimous decision victory over Callum Smith in December ended 13-month inactivity, but the 30-year-old Guadalajara plans to keep a much busier schedule in 2021. It is generally expected that he has already booked a unification fight on May 8 with WBO title holder Billy Joe Saunders. Its promoter Eddie Hearn just hinted at it on the telecast, saying the announcement could come as early as tonight.

“We talked about it, but there is nothing concrete,” said Álvarez, who has been inactive for most of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a contract feud. “I want to take up this challenge first and then explore the sequel. But yes, we had preliminary talks.

“I want to stay active. I enjoy what I do and work out in the gym. The fight is my life. If all goes well, we would like four fights this year.

Hello and welcome to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for tonight’s Super Middleweight Championship bout between Canelo Álvarez and Avni Yıldırım. This is the second outing in 70 days for boxing’s biggest star Álvarez, who comes off a one-sided points victory over Britain’s Callum Smith to win the WBA and Ring Super Middleweight Championships and the vacant Super Middleweight title. – WBC means.

Yıldırım (21-2, 12 KOs) shouldn’t offer much resistance. The 29-year-old Turkish man, who hasn’t boxed since a technical decision loss to Anthony Dirrell two years ago, is a 15-1 underdog and is only here because he is the mandatory WBC title challenger by Álvarez.

For Álvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs), there is a lot of risk and little reward until he can move forward towards his goal of unifying the belts at 168 pounds against the other two champions of the division: Briton Billy Joe Saunders, owner of the WBO. title, and Caleb Plant, the undefeated American who holds the IBF bracelet.

“I respect all the fighters and the challenge I have in front of me,” Alvarez said this week. “I know what Yildirim brings. He’s a strong fighter with a lot of desire to win. I come with the same mentality of winning, doing my job and keeping making history. “

McWilliams Arroyo has just stopped late substitute Abraham Rodriguez in the fifth round to win the interim WBC flyweight title in the last undercard fight of the night, which means Álvarez and Yıldırım are set to make their ringwalks soon.