Dmitry Bivol Outpoints Canelo Alvarez in Rematch to Retain Light Heavyweight Title

Dmitry Bivol proved his 2024 victory over Canelo Alvarez was no fluke on Tuesday night, outpointing the Mexican superstar by unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 115-113) in their highly anticipated rematch at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, successfully defending his WBA light heavyweight title for the fourth time.

The 33-year-old Russian boxer was tactically superior throughout the 12-round contest, using his jab effectively and superior footwork to control distance against the aggressive Alvarez. Bivol's disciplined approach and ability to make subtle adjustments between rounds proved decisive as he consistently found ways to neutralize Canelo's power punches while landing clean combinations of his own.

"I showed again that I am the best light heavyweight in the world," Bivol said through a translator during his post-fight interview. "Canelo is a great champion and warrior, but my boxing skills and preparation were better tonight. I have been working very hard since our first fight, and I wanted to prove that victory was not lucky. Now I am ready for any top fighter at 175 pounds."

Alvarez applied constant pressure throughout the fight, landing several hard body shots and showing improved conditioning compared to their first encounter. However, the four-division champion struggled to consistently get inside Bivol's long jab and found himself eating clean counter-punches whenever he attempted to unleash his signature combinations.

The fight's turning point came in the middle rounds when Bivol began to time Alvarez's aggressive advances perfectly, landing multiple straight left hands that snapped back the Mexican star's head and clearly won several consecutive rounds on all three scorecards. Canelo's late rally in rounds 10-12 made the fight competitive but was insufficient to overcome the deficit.

Bivol's victory solidifies his position as the premier fighter at light heavyweight and raises questions about potential unification bouts with other champions in the division. The Russian's patient, technical approach continues to frustrate aggressive fighters who rely on power and pressure, making him one of boxing's most difficult puzzles to solve. For Alvarez, the defeat represents another setback in his quest to conquer a fourth weight division and may signal the need for strategic changes as he approaches the latter stages of his legendary career.