Canelo Alvarez traveled to Saudi Arabia to become the undisputed super middleweight champion for the second time in his career, when he faces William Scull on May 3.
In 2024, he lost that distinction because the IBF stripped him of his 168-pound title for refusing to fight the Cuban, who then took the title he now holds against the Mexican, champion by the WBC and WBO.
Canelo Alvarez has not forgotten Dmitry Bivol
Only two boxers have beaten Saul Alvarez in 15 years of professional career: Floyd Mayweather, now retired, in 2011 and Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
That fight against Bivol is the only one he has had in the light heavyweight division and he was clearly beaten by the now undisputed 175-pound champion.
I hope to have the opportunity to have that rematch with Bivol, it’s the only fight at 175 that I really want
“It doesn’t bother me (the defeat), you know, I mean to myself ‘hey, you learned something from that fight, what things you shouldn’t do again’ and I have that in me as saying ‘you need to show that you’re a better fighter than him’,” he told Ring Magazine.
Injuries affected Saul Alvarez against Bivol
In that fight against Bivol, Canelo points out that he came in with injuries to one hand and one knee, which is why he was unable to reach his best version.
“I was 50% of my skills there (against Bivol), without condition, nothing, because I couldn’t run and I couldn’t throw punches or sparring, I had like a month without sparring because of my hand
“I couldn’t run either, because of my knee, so knee and hand injuries, but even with that, I had a good fight, a very good fight, but I know it wasn’t enough,” said the fighter from Jalisco.
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