CANELO ALVAREZ has been tipped to become a two-time light-heavyweight champion by smashing Dmitry Bivol like “mashed potatoes”.
Boxing’s pound-for-pound will challenge the undefeated Russian for the WBA 175lb strap in the early hours of Sunday morning at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Canelo Alvarez will challenge Dmitry Bivol for the WBA light-heavyweight title
The bout will mark the Mexican’s return to light-heavyweight
And former champ Bernard Hopkins foresees the pound-for-pound king running through Bivol
The bout will be Canelo’s first outing at light-heavyweight since he decimated Sergey Kovalev in November 2019.
And former lineal 175lb champ Bernard Hopkins foresees a similar result materialising in Sin City, telling Fight Hub TV: “(Canelo) smashes him.
“Mashed potatoes all over the place. Another smash event, smashes him.
“People are really excited — yeah, to see Canelo, whether he stay mentally and physically being on top as he has been.
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“That’s all we really looking for, people that know.”
Hopkins reckons the undefeated Bivol’s height and reach advantages will matter little against the ferocious face of boxing.
He said: “If Canelo didn’t have the talent, the attributes that he has, yes (that could be problematic).
“But that’s not the case, we’re talking fantasy if we’re not talking about that…it’s about what Canelo wants do, not what (Bivol) gonna do.”
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A trilogy fight with rival Gennady Golovkin will be on the cards for Canelo should he get the better of Bivol in their desert dust-up.
The pair fought to a controversial draw in September 2017 before Canelo edged a closely-contested rematch the following year.
Golovkin has looked every bit his 40 years in his last two fights, so much so Hopkins anticipates a routine victory for Canelo.
He said: “I think you can expect Canelo to be better than he was in the second fight. So that doesn’t sound good for GGG.
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“This is not that type of smash, this is one of those things like we seen it twice…what’s gonna be different the third fight?
“But, okay, another smash. Another smash, but it’s a different type of smash.”
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