Saul Alvarez ready to make 'history' against Dmitry Bivol as both fighters make weight

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez believes victory over light-heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol on Saturday night will take him a step closer to cementing his status as a boxing all-time great.

Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) is favoured to take the WBA 175-pound title from unbeaten Bivol at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip. The pound-for-pound superstar has fought at light-heavyweight only once previously in his career, taking out a past-his-prime Sergey Kovalev in late 2019.

With victories over practically every established opponent at super middleweight, the division in which he became the undisputed champion last year, Alvarez is eager to take on the larger, rangier Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs) to add another achievement to his overflowing collection.

“I like this kind of challenge, because I want to make history,” Alvarez, 31, said after weighing in at 174.4 pounds (79.11 kg). “This kind of challenge is going to put me at the top in the history of boxing. I feel alive when I have this kind of challenge. I respect the boxing skill of Dmitry Bivol, but it is my time. I feel like I’m in my prime. I enjoy this kind of moment.”

Bivol presents a much stiffer challenge than Kovalev did to Canelo. The Kyrgyzstan-born Russian champion has held a version of his belt since May 2016, making several title defences against a litany of top 175-pounders.

Bivol has never fought an opponent of Alvarez’s calibre, but he welcomes the lucrative opportunity to test his skills against the world’s most accomplished active fighter.

“I’m really glad that I got this opportunity,” said Bivol, who weighed in at 174.6 pounds. “I’ve asked my team for many years to fight the best guys, and now I’ve got this fight. I had a long journey to get to here, and now I