Taking into account the goal of closing plans for an ambitious 2021 by becoming the first undisputed champion with 168 pounds, super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez is forced to look at Saturday’s comeback against Avni Yildirim as a means to an end .
Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) is a favorite at 40-1 bets to defeat his mandatory opponent when two 168-pound fighters touch their gloves in front of 15,000 socially distant fans at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium for Alvarez’s WBA and WBC titles.
Although Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs), a 29-year-old native of Turkey, is quite active and aggressive as a rugged fighter, few are giving him more than a small chance to punch, as most expect the Mexican superstar score an exciting knockout in his first fight in South Florida since Raul Pinzon’s stop in the first round in 2008.
“I hope so, I hope it will be a knockout because people really enjoy watching knockouts, but I am ready for anything,” Alvarez told “Morning Kombat” this week.
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Alvarez was strangely harsh this week when any mention of the betting odds was mentioned or when it was pointed out that Yildirim, fresh out of a two-year layoff and a defeat in his last fight, does not scream and deserves the opportunity.
In his defense, Alvarez highlighted the little respect he gained in December by dominating undefeated champion Callum Smith before announcing a comeback just two months later, starting an ambitious four-fight plan this year, including two unification fights.
Although Alvarez, 30, doesn’t believe there is another 160 or 168 pound fighter who deserves to be the favorite to beat him, he is far from beating Yildirim and respecting what his hungry opponent brings to the table. The two fighters already fought together in 2018, when Alvarez brought Yildiirm to help prepare him for a rematch against Gennadiy Golovkin.
“He is a strong fighter. He is fierce,” said Alvarez. “He’s always there, pushing. At any moment, he is dangerous.
“That’s what we thought about Callum Smith, but the truth is that I am at my best and I find it very difficult to see someone giving me problems.”
Yildirim hired the services of respected trainer Joel Diaz to help him refine his style a bit before preparing for Alvarez’s counterattacks. However, it is Alvarez ‘own trainer, Eddy Reynoso, who has finally begun to receive what Alvarez believes is the long-awaited recognition as one of the best coaches in the sport.
In addition to Alvarez, whom he trained since the first day of the four-division champion’s career in 2005, Reynoso recently guided undefeated lightweight Ryan Garcia to the biggest victory of his young career in January over Luke Campbell and junior lightweight champion Oscar Valdez in last week for an upset knockout by Miguel Berchelt.
“It is a very important relationship, that between a fighter and his trainer,” said Alvarez. “[Reynoso] been with me from the beginning and taught me everything. Now that he gets the credit he deserves, it’s something I’ve always known. “
The main co-event envisages a two flyweight battle for a provisional crown, while McWilliams Arroyo faces Abraham Rodriguez. This spot was originally reserved for WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez to face Arroyo, but Martinez was forced to withdraw due to a hand injury. Arroyo has won three consecutive wins since 2019, with 15 knockouts in 20 career wins. Rodriguez won four consecutive games, but lost his only other fight on American soil to Angel Acosta in 2018.
In addition, Zhilei Zhang will face Jerry Forrest in a prominent heavyweight fight. Zhang, 37, carries an undefeated record in the ring at 22-0 with 17 knockouts. He has scored a knockout in eight of his last nine fights since 2017, with Audriy Rudenko taking him away. Forrest, meanwhile, has 20 knockouts in 26 career wins, but lost two of the three by decision, including to Carlos Takam last July.
Fight card, odds
- Canelo Alvarez (c) -6000 vs. Avni Yildirim +1700, unified super middleweight titles
- Zhilei Zhang -575 vs. Jerry Forrest +450, heavyweights
- Diego Pacheco -3500 vs. Rodolfo Gomez Jr. +1400, middleweight
- Alexis Espino vs. Ashton Sykes, super middleweight
Viewing information
- Meeting: February 27 | Localization: Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida
- Start time: 7 pm ET (main event set for approximately 10 pm ET)
- TV: Traditional PPV (check local listings)
- How to watch / broadcast: DAZN (sign up now)
Prediction
Alvarez is the best boxer in the world at the moment. But is he much bigger than Yildirim to be a big favorite in betting?
In a way, the answer is no. Yildirim will have an advantage of almost ten centimeters in height over Alvarez, who is small for the 168-pound division, despite showing good power. But in many other ways, it’s hard not to look at it as anything more than an ongoing fight that shouldn’t go beyond the first rounds.
Unless Yildirim can follow the line of being dirty and force Alvarez into a fight by hurting him in the beginning, the gap in everything from speed to technique leans overwhelmingly in favor of Alvarez. In fact, Yildirim is much more like the threat that fighter James Kirkland brought to the 2015 fight against Alvarez, in which he was divided and knocked out in three rounds than anyone else Alvarez has faced in recent years.
Wait for Alvarez to be patient in the initial assault while sailing the distance before catching Yildirim on the way with a clean uppercut to end the fight.
To choose: Alvarez via KO3
Who beats Alvarez x Yildirim? And which prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn’s best bets for Saturday, all from the fighting game manager, who has 32-8 in boxing choices since the sport came back, and find out.