Year After Canelo Alvarez’s Shocking Loss, Mayweather Promotions CEO Brands Dmitry Bivol “Not An Elite Fighter”

Canelo Alvarez will defend his undisputed super middleweight world titles against Jermell Charlo in less than a week. This is his first fight under the ‘Premier Boxing Champions’ banner. Meanwhile, this is a golden opportunity for the challenger, Charlo, to potentially become the first-ever simultaneous dual-weight champion. However, the odds have him pitted as a heavy underdog. Yet, Jermell Charlo believes that Alvarez is beatable and has vulnerabilities that he will look to exploit during their clash. But a certain entity was rather more focused on the shocking loss that Alvarez suffered last year – or rather, who he lost to.

Last year, Alvarez attempted to move up from his weight category and challenged Dmitry Bivol for his title. However, his quest fell short after he was handed his second-ever defeat. In a recent turn of events, Mayweather Promotions CEO delivered his own take on Bivol – and it was quite the surprising take.

CEO of Mayweather promotions critics Dmitry Bivol

Bivol is undefeated and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. After making his boxing debut in 2014, he has competed in 21 professional bouts and has won all of them with 11 knockouts. However, Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, does not consider him to be a top-class fighter.

In an interview with Boxing Scene, he claimed Bivol is most definitely a formidable boxer but not necessarily a top-tier one because he has not competed against great boxers. Ellerbe stated, “The level of opponents that he’s faced hasn’t been the elite fighters.” He added, “Bivol is a solid guy. No disrespect, he’s not an elite fighter. He’s a solid fighter, he’s good.” 

READ MORE: How Tall Is Canelo Alvarez and How Much of a Height Disadvantage Does He Have Against Jermell Charlo?

Many would disagree with his assessment given the record of fighters Bivol has beaten, including Alvarez — a pound-for-pound great. However, his comments come ahead of the highly-anticipated Alvarez fight against Jermell Charlo. Let’s take a look at what he had to say about the bout itself and what it means for the Mexican boxer.

Canelo Alvarez Vs. Jermell Charlo: Leonard Ellerbe weighs in

According to Ellerbe, Alvarez will come into the bout in the best shape possible. He thinks it has been a while since the boxer has showcased his ability to get stoppages. Not to mention, only last year he was defeated by Bivol and has yet to avenge that loss.

Reflecting on all these factors, in the same interview, Ellerbe stated, “Canelo is coming to that fight with a chip on his shoulder. He’s coming off an injury and that explains why his last couple of performances haven’t been what the public would expect. I think with this fight right here.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo Stats: Record, Age, Height, Reach, and Knockout Ratio