WBA super light heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol returns to the ring to defend his gold in the biggest fight of his career with the legendary undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Read on for our complete boxing betting guide taking a first look at the WBA light heavyweight bout between Canelo and Bivol, including updated odds, predictions, and free expert boxing betting picks.
Saul Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol
WBA Light Heavyweight Main Event Bout
Saturday, May 07, 2022 – 10:05 PM EDT at T-Mobile Arena
Canelo Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs): Who Is He?
Standing in at 5'8" tall, the undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez is currently riding a 14-fight win streak and is now jumping into the light heavyweight division to test his might once again.
His singular career loss to Floyd Mayweather burnt Alvarez's desire to take his career to the next level and hold titles in multiple weight classes. Still, the pound-for-pound king has reignited his desire for gold in alternate divisions as he’ll attempt to raise the WBA light heavyweight strap on May 7.
Alvarez's technical ability - both offensively and defensively - has gifted us with an unstoppable force in boxing that only one of the greatest boxers in sports history - Floyd Mayweather - could overcome.
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Mexican born, having held championships in multiple weight classes and proving inactive critics wrong, Alvarez is already etched into the Hall of Fame history books alongside the likes of Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Rocky Marciano, and Mike Tyson. Still, another title grab at LHW won’t hurt the headcount.
Canelo Alvarez Best Available Odds: -450 at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Dmitry Bivol (19-0-0, 11 KOs): Who Is He?
31-year-old Dmitry Bivol will defend his WBA light heavyweight championship for an eleventh consecutive time when he steps into the squared circle on Saturday evening, and despite owning a significant height advantage, the Russian-born champ has never faced the experience and expertise of somebody on Canelo’s level.
Bivol is often put into the light heavyweight pound-for-pound debate with unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, and a lot of critics believe the Bivol to be the king at 175lbs. However, the rankings place him in second. A win over Canelo would leave any doubts in the past and significantly boost Bivol’s stock, but this is easier said than done.
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When discussing Bivol, fight promoter Eddie Hearn said: “I think if you’re talking about destruction and power, Beterbiev is the guy. If you’re talking about technical ability mixed with a little bit of punch power, smartness, and freshness, you’re talking about Dmitry Bivol. Beterbiev is old. There are signs against Callum Johnson, against these guys. When have you seen Bivol hurt in a fight? When have you seen Bivol really look like he might lose a fight? Never. How good is Dmitry Bivol? We’re going to find out.”
Dmitry Bivol Best Available Odds: +381 at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
How Can Canelo Defeat Bivol?
By doing what Canelo does best, pressuring his opponents into a position where they lose focus, overexert themselves, and lose energy early in the bout.
Defensive movement with a high guard alongside a lay and prey style where he loves to counterstrike. He’ll be up against a significant size disadvantage, but have you seen the size of Canelo at 175? This man looks prone to take somebody's head off.
How Can Bivol Defeat Canelo?
The undefeated champ has a tremendous opportunity this weekend, and if he can overcome the bright lights and nerves of a Canelo meeting, he has all the tools to make this contest swing in his favor.
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Standing at 6 feet tall, Bivol will own a significant reach advantage over the short and stocky 5-foot 8 stature of Canelo. Of course, Canelo’s size hasn’t prevented him from being one of the best ever to do it, but Bivol possesses the footwork, jab, and intelligence to avoid Canelo’s traps.
If Bivol can cause Canelo to miss by utilizing his reach, show us the excellent positioning in the ring he has done in the past, it could be a long night for Alvarez to attempt to get inside and find the target.
Alvarez vs. Bivol Betting Picks and Odds
The available boxing odds at Bookmakers Review are naturally favoring Canelo. This could be a heavyweight bout, and I believe the price would still favor the future Hall of Famer.
With that said, I don’t wholly trust Canelo to get the job done, despite his accolades and elite level. Bivol’s fundamentals are excellent; he’s the 175lb champion and undefeated for a good reason.
As the price is slightly lower than Canelo’s moneyline, I genuinely don’t expect either fighter to fall. Wagering on this fight to go the distance is the most likely outcome I can put my money behind.
Predicted Result: Canelo Wins via Decision or Technical Decision
Boxing Pick: Over 10 ½ Rounds (-280) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
