In the lead-up to the fight, Yildirim said having previously sparred with Alvarez would help him pull the upset.Īlvarez and Yildirim both weighed 167 pounds, a pound under the super-middleweight limit.Įarlier, Puerto Rico’s McWilliams Arroyo won a second-tier world flyweight title with a fifth-round technical knockout over late replacement Abraham Rodriguez. Inactive since February 2019, YIildirim landed the match against Alvarez after the WBC designated him mandatory challenger. “Those that came before me will always have my respect.” “I respect history but I also want to make my history,” Alvarez said.
“Everybody wants a piece of Canelo but I am not going to let them take anything,” Alvarez said.Īs he continues to solidify his spot among the sport’s pound-for-pound elite, Alvarez also is gaining additional ground for inclusion on the short list of best fighters in boxing rich Mexico’s history. Caleb Plant holds the fourth sanctioning body belt. 5abd8f57-dad1-4afa-acaf-3651c1b77b89 ratingrecords: Kenichi Ogawa. Alvarez said there have been preliminary conversations for a bout with Billy Joe Saunders, the World Boxing Organization titleholder, in May. Saturday’s bout was the first of what Alvarez hopes will be a busy year seeking unification fights. “It doesn’t matter if he has a good trainer. “It doesn’t matter if he is stronger or taller,” Alvarez said about Yildirim, who began his career at light-heavyweight before moving down to the 168-pound class. Alvarez stayed within punching range and increased his output but also was effective from distance and connected with a flush counter right to the head.
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Although their rematch played out differently, Covington’s toughness was on full display once again.
Covington (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to welterweight champion Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) earlier this month, in what was another competitive fight after their all-out war at UFC 245. Yildirim (21-3) rarely threw punches and the few he did, Alvarez blocked or slipped his shots. Colby Covington thinks his late surge was enough to dethrone Kamaru Usman at UFC 268. In a methodical first round, Alvarez set the pace early with lead left jabs to the head and and lefts and right to the body.Īlvarez landed uppercuts and continued to score with combinations to the body in the second.