Canelo Knocks Out Kovalev, Becomes WBO Light Heavyweight Champion

Canelo Alvarez has all but cemented his place as the number 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world after knocking out Sergiy Kovalev and winning the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship. Canelo now holds titles simultaneously in 3 divisions: Light Heavyweight, Super-Middleweight, and Middleweight, a feat last achieved in 1938 by the legendary Henry Armstrong.

The fight was fought at a measured pace, with Kovalev relying on a constantly pumping jab and Canelo patiently looking for counter-punching opportunities. By the mid-rounds, Canelo’s timing, particularly with his left hooks, was leaving its mark on Kovalev’s reddening face. But from the 6th round onwards, Kovalev began to utilize his reach advantage more aggressively, tagging Canelo in exchanges and landing clean straight punches. By the 11th round, it seemed as if Kovalev could handle Canelo’s shots without a problem, until a clubbing left hook behind the ear seemed to disrupt his equilibrium, and an immediate follow up right hand rendered him a limp heap resting on the bottom rope.

While it remains unlikely that Canelo will stay at Light Heavyweight to defend his title against the likes of Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev, this historic win will only propel his momentum forward as he continues to establish a lasting legacy.