By Ian S Palmer
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez of Mexico defends his WBC Super Middleweight and WBA Super World Super Middleweight belts this Saturday, Feb. 27th when he takes on Avni Yildirim of Turkey. The 12-round bout from the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida can be seen in North America and the UK live on DAZN. Alvarez last fought in December when he beat Callum Smith to win the vacant WBC title and Smith’s WBA title by unanimous decision. Yildirim last fought in February, 2019 when he dropped a 10-round technical decision to Anthony Dirrell for the vacant WBC belt when the bout went to the scorecards due to a cut to Dirrell.
Alvarez lifted Gennady Golovkin’s WBC and WBA ‘Super’ World Middleweight Titles in September, 2018 in a rematch but took quite a bit of punishment in doing so. His first fight against Triple G, which ended in a highly-controversial draw was no walk in the park either. However, he’s looked fine since with wins over Rocky Fielding, Daniel Jacobs, Sergey Kovalev and Smith while stopping Fielding and Kovalev.
The 30-year-old owns a fine record of 54-1-2 with 36 Kos. His only official loss was a majority decision to Floyd Mayweather in September of 2013 while his other draw was a four-round affair against Jorge Juarez back in 2006. Alvarez stands just over 5-feet-8-inches tall with a 70.5 inch reach. He has a wealth of experience for his age since he turned pro when he was just 15 years old in 2005 and has 414 rounds under his belt since.
He’s taken on and beaten some tough opponents over the years such as Smith, Kovalev, Jacobs, Golovkin, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Amir Khan, Miguel Cotto, James Kirkland, Austin Trout, Erislandy Lara, Shane Mosley, Josesito Lopez, Kermit Cintron, Carlos Baldomir, and Alfredo Angulo. He’s also held world titles in the jr. middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions as well as minor belts as a welterweight.
Alvarez has solid power and enters the fight with a current knockout ratio of 63.2 per cent with a granite chin and quick hands but has gone the distance in five of his last seven fights. Also, Golovkin, Mayweather and Khan to some degree, showed that Canelo can be outboxed as he has difficulty handling a quick, stiff jab. Even so, Alvarez is a good boxer-puncher who likes to go to the body but has a bit of difficulty with boxers who are mobile.
The 29-year-old Yildirim isn’t here to box rings against the champ though as he’ll be trying to go straight ahead and bully him if possible. The native of Istanbul enters the contest with a mark of 21-2 with 12 Kos. So with a current knockout ratio of 52.2 per cent he’s going to have his work cut out for him. Yildirim beat Derek Edwards by unanimous decision in March, 2018 for the WBC International Super Middleweight Title but has never held a world belt.
He was knocked out in the third round by former IBO Super Middleweight Champion Chris Eubank jr. in the World Boxing Super Series in October, 2017 to suffer his first defeat. Yildirim turned pro back in 2014 and has fought 132 rounds since and has stopped two of his last six opponents. He stands just over 5-feet-11-inches tall with a reach of 70 inches so has a three-inches height advantage on Alvarez.
He’s also beaten the likes of Marco Antonio Periban, Glen Johnson, Zoltan Sera, Aaron Pryor Jr., Walter Sequeira, Schiller Hyppolite and Junior Jackson. He’s fought some pretty tough cookies but fell short against the best two, Eubank and Dirrell. Yildirim had a decent amateur career and fought often as a light heavyweight. He appeared to own a good chin until Eubank caught him and has won several regional WBC titles since turning pro.
Prediction…
Alvarez is considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world and even if you had him losing both fights to Golovkin he’s still one of the best out there. He may lack size, but that’s about it. He does everything well and when he does make a mistake his chin has bailed him out. Yildirim will give it his best shot but unless he lands the perfect punch or can somehow dominate Alvarez I just don’t see him winning this fight.
