Maxboxing 2022 Upset of the Year - Dmitry Bivol dominates Canelo Alvarez

Oddsmakers listed Canelo Alvarez as roughly a 5-1 favorite over Dmitry Bivol last May. 

The light heavyweight titleholder has been called a quality fighter for several years. His jab is solid. His right hand can sting. 

Without question, he’s good, but good enough to defeat Alvarez?

Fat chance. 

Alvarez hasn’t lost a fight in almost ten years. Some were debatable - Erislandy Lara in 2014, and especially Gennadiy Golovkin three years later, but many contenders (and some not) had fallen at the feet of the polarizing 168-pound champion. 

Bivol wasn’t one of “those” contenders. The Russian’s advantage in size and technique was apparent as early as the second round. 

He controlled range, tattooed Alvarez with jabs, and clocked the Mexican with combinations. Alvarez tried to rally, but Bivol’s defense was stifling. 

www.maxboxing.com/news/sub-lead/canelo-who-dmitry-bivol-defeats-canelo-alvarez

The scoring of the fight, 115-113 from all three judges, was ridiculous. 

Maxboxing judged Bivol the winner by a 116-112 tally, a product of what you see, not what you may want. 

Alvarez wants another crack at Bivol. Hours after the fight, he said the decision should have gone his way. 

Silly.

Could he win a rematch? 

Perhaps. 

Dmitry Bivol is the winner of Maxboxing.com’s 2022 Upset of the Year.