Boxing’s main attraction returns to the ring for the second time in 70 days, with Canelo Alvarez facing Avni Yildirim, live on DAZN.
King weight-for-weight and boxing’s biggest star, Canelo Alvarez, steps into the ring on Saturday for the second time in 70 days when he places his WBA (Super) and WBC super middleweight titles against Avni Yildirim at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) fought on December 19, dominating Callum Smith to win by unanimous decision and claim the WBA and WBC belts to become a four-division world champion. The 30-year-old man wants to be more active in 2021 after fighting only once in 2020. Yildirim is the mandatory challenger for the WBC, and Alvarez wants to get him out of the way so that he can have a clear path to become the undisputed champion with 168 pounds.
“Avni Yildirim is a good boxer and I know we are going to have an exciting fight,” said Canelo in a press release. “I am very happy that we can bring this event to Miami, a short distance from where my hero, Muhammad Ali, trained. February 27 will be a great night for the sport.”
Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs) returns to action for the first time since defeating Anthony Dirrell by technical decision in a vague fight from the WBC super middleweight in February 2019. Dirrell suffered a cut due to an accidental head in the 10th round , and the fight was stopped. It was for the judges, who declared Dirrell the winner on two of the three scorecards.
“I feel honored as obligatory to fight again for the big green belt – thanks to everyone involved,” said Yildirim. “I always give my all – and everyone must be ready to see a war. I am here to make my country proud – I am representing all of Turkey.”
DAZN News will present live coverage of Canelo x Yildirim, starting at 8 pm ET.