Canelo Alvarez returns to action tonight in a mammoth showdown against Jermell Charlo. Two of boxing’s undisputed world champions lock horns at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with Canelo putting all his super-middleweight belts on the line. Light-middleweight supremo Charlo is climbing two weight divisions for a shot at making history as he seeks to become only the third fighter ever to topple arguably the sport’s biggest name.
Some feel that Canelo’s considerable talents are finally waning after such a long and illustrious career, with that shock loss to Dmitry Bivol still fresh in the memory. The Mexican favourite has been taken the distance twice since then despite dominant displays against both Gennady Golovkin and John Ryder, with skilled American Charlo now hoping to be the man to exploit any more signs of weakness and become undisputed at two weights in what would be an incredible achievement.
Away from the main event, tonight’s undercard features plenty of intriguing fights, including the unbeaten Jesus Ramos Jr taking on Erickson ‘Hammer’ Lubin. We’ll also see the return of Yordenis Ugas against Mario Barrios, along with the likes of Gabriel Valenzuela and Floyd Mayweather prodigy Curmel Moton. There were early prelim wins for Frank Sanchez, Terrell Gausha and Oleksandr Gvozdyk, while Elijah Garcia stopped Jose Armando Resendiz to move to 16-0.
Live updates
Ugas vs Barrios
Here we go!
Ugas in white gloves and shorts, with the usual number 54 – his nickname ‘54 Milagros’ relates to his friend and baseball player Aroldis Chapman and his mother.
Barrios opts for black and turquoise shorts, gloves and boots.
Ugas vs Barrios
A quick Aztec-themed ring walk from ‘El Azteca’ Barrios, who hails from San Antonio in Texas but has plenty of Mexican heritage.
Ugas proudly displaying the flag of Cuba and a rather jazzy all-white robe as we await Jimmy Lennon Jr’s pre-fight introductions.
Ugas vs Barrios
This fight is for the WBC interim welterweight championship as both men to hope to line up a shot down the line against new undisputed 147lbs king Terence Crawford, who added the WBA, WBC, IBF and The Ring belts to his long-held WBO strap with that utterly flawless dismantling of Errol Spence Jr at this same venue in July.
Before the ring walks we will have a 10-bell salute for late trainer Mike Stafford and legendary boxing and MMA commentator “Colonel” Bob Sheridan.
Ugas vs Barrios up next
Next up it’s the return of Yordenis Ugas.
The Cuban, who had already challenged unsuccessfully for a world title against Shawn Porter in 2019, beat Abel Ramos in 2020 to win the vacant WBA regular welterweight belt.
He was later upgraded to super champion and outpointed the great Manny Pacquiao in his first defence, before being stopped in the 10th round by Errol Spence Jr in Texas last April.
Ugas sustained an orbital fracture on that night 17 months ago and hasn’t fought since.
Tonight he is back against Mario Barrios, the former WBA super-lightweight champion after beating Batyr Akhmedov and Ryan Karl who lost his title to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in the summer of 2021 and also then lost to Keith Thurman.
His last fight was a comeback win over Jovanie Santiago in San Antonio in February, picking up the WBC Continental Americas welterweight title.
A very humble post-fight interview there with Elijah Garcia, who heaps praise on Resendiz and admits that was the toughest test of his young career so far by a long way.
We move on with tonight’s main card as the television cameras show both Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo arriving backstage at the T-Mobile Arena.
Just two more fights on deck now before that blockbuster main event.
Garcia vs Resendiz
Replays show it was a left hook to the body, right hook behind the elbow and then a thunderous short right hook upstairs that sent the durable Resendiz tumbling to the canvas there.
Beautiful, savage, accurate work.
Resendiz was then trapped against the ropes and bludgeoned with about seven monster hooks off both hands, unable to throw back or properly defend himself.
A smart decision from Tony Weeks to step in.
Quite the statement from Garcia, who stays undefeated and moves to 16-0.
Resendiz drops to 14-2, but that was a performance to be proud of from the Mexican.
Garcia stops Resendiz in round eight
Round 8
Resendiz is down with just under two minutes to go in the eighth!
He’s still got so much time left in the round to negotiate as Garcia senses blood and the stoppage and steps on the gas.
He continues to rattle in those crushing power shots upstairs and Resendiz cannot escape, leading to referee Tony Weeks stepping in and stopping the contest.
What a win for Garcia, who is some fearsome, powerful talent. Wow.
Garcia vs Resendiz
Round 7
Resendiz is getting tagged by so many spiteful combinations, but to his credit he is one tough customer who continues to walk through them all the time.
A jolting right hook makes him think midway through the seventh.
Garcia can’t miss with his primary weapon, the straight left.
Resendiz is snapping in some decent counters and hooks at times, but Garcia’s accuracy is now totally on point and he sinks in more short hooks, straight lefts and uppercuts.
Brilliant power and variety.
Garcia vs Resendiz
Round 6
More terrific work from Garcia early in the sixth, again finding a home for those straight lefts and uppercuts.
Garcia pieces together some awesome combinations, including that one that ends with a crushing right hook.
More and more eye-catching combos from Garcia now – straight left, uppercut, right hook. Gorgeous.
He’s taken this over, though Resendiz is hugely durable and remains a very dangerous customer indeed.
He isn’t giving this up, not by a long way.
Garcia is not letting the blood from his nose or a clear cut near his left eye affect him.
Garcia vs Resendiz
Round 5
There has been an incredible tempo to this fight… how long can both men keep it up?!
Aged 20 and 24 respectively, there should be plenty left in the tank.
Resendiz is still the aggressor by and large, but now Garcia’s quality is beginning to properly tell as he picks his moments for those spiteful three-and-four punch combinations.
The middleweight sensation from Arizona carries such power in both hands.
Into the second half of the fight we go, with Garcia urged by his corner to stop head-hunting so much and start thinking about the body.
