Canelo Álvarez vs. Avni Yıldırım

{{Infobox boxing match

| Fight Name = Canelo Álvarez vs. Avni Yıldırım

| image = 250px

| caption =

| fight date = 27 February 2021

| location = Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.

| titles = WBA (Super), WBC and The Ring super middleweight titles

| fighter1 = Saúl Álvarez

| nickname1 = "Canelo"
("Cinnamon")

| hometown1 = Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

| purse1 =

| record1 = 54–1–2 (36 KO)

| age1 = {{age in years and months |18 July 1990 |27 February 2021}}

| height1 = 5 ft 8 in

| weight1 = 167.6 lb

| style1 = Orthodox

| recognition1 = WBA (Super), WBC, and The Ring
Super Middleweight Champion
TBRB
No. 1 Ranked Super Middleweight
The Ring No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter
4-division world champion

| fighter2 = Avni Yıldırım

| nickname2 = Mr. Robot

| hometown2 = Sivas, Sivas Province, Turkey

| purse2 =

| record2 = 21–2 (12 KO)

| age2 = {{age in years and months |5 August 1991 |27 February 2021}}

| height2 = 5 ft 11+1/2 in

| weight2 = 167.6 lb

| style2 = Orthodox

| recognition2 = WBC
No. 1 Ranked Super Middleweight
WBA
No. 9 Ranked Super Middleweight

| result = Álvarez defeats Yıldırım by 3rd round RTD

}}

Canelo Álvarez vs. Avni Yıldırım was a professional boxing match contested on 27 February 2021, for the WBA, WBC and The Ring super middleweight championship.{{cite web |title=Saul Alvarez vs. Avni Yildirim |url=https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Saul_Alvarez_vs._Avni_Yildirim |website=boxrec.com |publisher=BoxRec |access-date=20 October 2024}}

Background

After his 19 December 2020 victory over Callum Smith to win the unified super middleweight championship, it was announced on 20 January 2021 that Álvarez would be defending his newly won super middleweight titles against his WBC mandatory challenger Avni Yıldırım on 27 February at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida.{{cite web |last1=Wise |first1=Brandon |title=Canelo Alvarez next fight: Mexican superstar to face Avni Yildirim at super middleweight in February |url=https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/canelo-alvarez-next-fight-mexican-superstar-to-face-avni-yildirim-at-super-middleweight-in-february/ |website=CBS Sports |date=21 January 2021 |access-date=21 January 2021}} The bout attracted criticism due to many perceiving Yıldırım, who had not been in the ring since he lost a technical split decision to Anthony Dirrell two years prior in February 2019, to be vastly over-matched. Yıldırım had been named to the mandatory position as a result of the controversial nature of his loss to Dirrell, however, he had remained sidelined due to injury and the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |url=https://www.boxingscene.com/sulaiman-benavidez-angulo-still-happen-making-mandatory-against-yildirim--148859 |title=Sulaiman: Benavidez-Angulo Still Can Happen Before Making Mandatory Against Yildirim |work=Boxingscene |last=Idec |first=Keith |date=13 May 2020 |access-date=25 August 2021 }} Álvarez, who was mandated to face Yıldırım in order to retain the WBC title despite being heavily favored, was dismissive of the critics, saying "I really don't have to give any explanation because they're never gonna be happy with anything... He [Yıldırım] has lots of courage. He can be dangerous at any moment because he is a strong fighter."{{Cite web|last=Idec|first=Keith|title=Canelo: I Don't Care About Critics Of Yildirim Fight; They'll Never Be Happy With Anything|url=https://www.boxingscene.com/canelo-i-care-about-critics-yildirim-fight-theyll-never-happy-with-anything--155694|access-date=2021-06-20|website=BoxingScene.com|date=24 February 2021 |language=en-us}} Yıldırım's only other loss on his record had come four years earlier against Chris Eubank Jr. in October 2017.

Álvarez was a 50 to 1 on favourite to win.{{Cite web|title=Canelo Alvarez vs. Avni Yildirim odds, prediction and betting trends {{!}} DAZN News US|url=https://www.dazn.com/en-US/news/boxing/canelo-alvarez-vs-avni-yildirim-odds-prediction-and-betting-trends/11je7l1nw9yi21p439pqmennv7|access-date=2021-06-20|website=DAZN|date=27 February 2021 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Canelo Álvarez vs. Avni Yıldırım |url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/bouts/545520-canelo-vs-yildrim-saul-canelo-alvarez-vs-avni-mr-robot-yildirim |website=tapology.com |publisher=Tapology |access-date=20 October 2024}}

The fight

The bout would prove to be as one sided as many had predicted. Álvarez would dominate the bout before Yıldırım's corner threw in the towel at the end of the third round. According to CompuBox stats, Álvarez outlanded Yıldırım 67 (40%) to 11 (11%) in total punches.{{cite web |last1=Baby |first1=Ben |title=Canelo Alvarez dominates Avni Yildirim by third-round TKO as corner throws in towel |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/30977033/canelo-alvarez-dominates-avni-yildirim-third-round-tko-corner-throws-towel |website=ESPN |date=28 February 2021 |access-date=28 February 2021}}

Aftermath

Álvarez later stated that he had contracted COVID-19 prior to the fight and only had one month to train.{{Cite web|title=Canelo Alvarez says he had COVID and trained only for one month for Avni Yildirim {{!}} DAZN News US|url=https://www.dazn.com/en-US/news/boxing/canelo-alvarez-says-he-had-covid-and-trained-only-for-one-month-for-avni-yildirim/1qrw2vtwslw6a1j0qplujxawh6|access-date=2021-07-29|website=DAZN|date=30 April 2021 |language=en}}

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/event/826107|title=BoxRec - event|publisher=}}{{cite web |author1=DAZN Boxing |title=CANELO VS. YILDIRIM UNDERCARD LIVESTREAM |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxACIn3NBp0 |website=youtube.com |publisher=Youtube |access-date=4 November 2024 |date=27 February 2021}}

class=wikitable !Winner !! Loser!! Weight division/title belt(s) disputed !! Result
{{flagicon\|PUR}} McWilliams Arroyo \|{{flagicon\|MEX}} Abraham Rodriguez \|WBC Interim World Flyweight title \|5th round TKO
{{flagicon\|China}} Zhilei Zhang \|{{flagicon\|USA}} Jerry Forrest \|Heavyweight (10 rounds) \|Majority draw
{{flagicon\|USA}} Diego Pacheco \|{{flagicon\|USA}} Rodolfo Gomez Jr \|Super middleweight (8 rounds) \|Unanimous decision
{{flagicon\|USA}} Marc Castro \|{{flagicon\|USA}} John Moraga \|Super featherweight (4 rounds) \|2nd round TKO
colspan=4\|Preliminary bouts
{{flagicon\|USA}} Keyshawn Davis \|{{flagicon\|BAH}} Lester Brown \|Lightweight (4 rounds) \|2nd round TKO
{{flagicon\|USA}} Aaron Aponte \|{{flagicon\|USA}} Harry Gigliotti \|Super lightweight (4 rounds) \|Unanimous decision
{{flagicon\|USA}} Alexis Espino \|{{flagicon\|USA}} Ashton Sykes \|Super middleweight (6 rounds) \|5th round KO

class=wikitable

!Winner !! Loser!! Weight division/title belt(s) disputed !! Result

{{flagicon|PUR}} McWilliams Arroyo

|{{flagicon|MEX}} Abraham Rodriguez

|WBC Interim World Flyweight title

|5th round TKO

{{flagicon|China}} Zhilei Zhang

|{{flagicon|USA}} Jerry Forrest

|Heavyweight (10 rounds)

|Majority draw

{{flagicon|USA}} Diego Pacheco

|{{flagicon|USA}} Rodolfo Gomez Jr