MIAMI • Saul "Canelo" Alvarez demolished Avni Yildirim in three rounds to retain his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association super middleweight titles by knockout on Saturday.
The Mexican dominated his Turkish opponent from the opening bell, sending him crashing to the canvas with a crisp left-right combination in the third round at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
Yildirim failed to emerge from his corner for the fourth round, as Canelo again demonstrated why he is regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing.
"I wanted to have a great fight here and I did what I had to do," he said. "I needed a knockout and that's what I did. It doesn't matter if they're taller, if they've got more reach or they've got a good trainer. I came to do my job, I came here to win."
Canelo, who improved to 55-1-2 with 37 knockouts, had got back into the ring on Saturday a little over two months after beating Briton Callum Smith in December.
After the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn said the 30-year-old will next seek to add the World Boxing Organisation belt to his collection with a May 8 fight against Britain's Billy Joe Saunders.
The Saunders fight will be the next step in Canelo's quest to become the first undisputed super middleweight (76.2kg) champion in boxing history.
"No one has done it," he said. "I want to make history. No one has done it at 168 (pounds)."
Should Canelo defeat Saunders, that would leave unbeaten International Boxing Federation champion Caleb Plant, who has held the belt since 2019, as his only remaining opponent.
On suggestions he wants to be remembered as the greatest boxer Mexico has produced, above greats like Julio Cesar Chavez and Juan Manuel Marquez, he said: "I respect everyone but I want to make my own history."
Saturday's bout will give Saunders plenty of food for thought, after Canelo produced his trademark blend of technical skill and punching power to overwhelm mandatory challenger Yildirim, 29, who was fighting for the first time in two years.
However, Saunders feels he can become only the second man after Floyd Mayweather to defeat Canelo in what will be the biggest fight of his career.
The 31-year-old, who has yet to lose in 30 fights with 14 knockouts, said: "You have to dare to be great and you aren't going to be a great if you don't beat the greats.
"He's the main man in the sport and the face of boxing. You have to give him respect, he hasn't ducked anyone, he's beaten good names, but nobody is unbeatable.
"I am looking at the golden ticket to cement my legacy, and that's how you have to go in there to beat him."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
