Unified super middleweight world titlist Canelo Alvarez faces Avni Yildirim in the main event of a DAZN card at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday. Alvarez owns the 168-pound WBC and WBA titles. Yildirim is the WBC's mandatory challenger.
Mexico's Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters and will make his second appearance as a free agent since severing ties with long time promoter Golden Boy in November. On Dec. 19, Alvarez defeated Callum Smith by unanimous decision to unify belts.
This is Alvarez's only second fight in Miami. He defeated Raul Pinzon by first-round KO at the Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort in 2008.
"I like everything about Miami and I am very happy to be here, it is an honor to fight at Hard Rock Stadium," Canelo said in a statement on Tuesday. "I feel very excited, very happy, it's even more motivation for me. To open another door in order to have another home for my fights.
"They only let us put 15,000 people in because of the pandemic, but with that we are fine. Last time in San Antonio it was around 12,000 and the stadium sounded like it was full."
Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs), of Turkey, was on a five-fight winning streak before losing a 10th-round technical decision to Anthony Dirrell two years ago.
"Nobody is giving a chance to a Turkish boxer, but we will stick it in their faces," Yildirim told ESPN. "We put a lot of hard work into preparing for this fight, a lot of struggle, and hopefully the next time we meet, I'll be wearing gold."
Where can I watch the Alvarez-Yildirim fight card?
The main card on DAZN begins at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, with the Alvarez-Smith bout set for 11 p.m. ET.
The full card:
Title fight: Canelo Alvarez vs. Avni Yildirim, 12 rounds, for Alvarez's WBC and WBA super middleweight titles
Title fight: Julio Cesar Martinez vs. McWilliams Arroyo, 12 rounds, for Martinez's WBC flyweight title
Zhilei Zhang vs. Jerry Forrest, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Diego Pacheco vs. Rodolfo Gomez Jr., 8 rounds, super middleweights
Alexis Espino vs. Ashton Sykes, 6 rounds, super middleweights
Marc Castro vs. Raul Corona, 4 rounds, junior lightweights
Aaron Aponte vs. Harry Gigliotti, 4 rounds, junior welterweights
Keyshawn Davis vs. Lester Brown, 4 rounds, lightweights
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