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sports Friday 4 March 2022
Canelo Álvarez picks Bivol, Golovkin for next 2 fights

By GREG BEACHAM an inveterate gym rat who
AP Sports Writer stays sharp constantly with
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Cane- trainer Eddy Reynoso, and
lo Álvarez has chosen the he is returning to training
next series of challenges camp just four months af-
for himself atop the boxing ter he beat Caleb Plant last
world. November to complete his
And as usual for the Mexi- busy 2021.
can pound-for-pound "He's set the bar," said Ed-
superstar, he's charting die Hearn, one of Álvarez's
a path with his legacy in promoters. "Normally the
mind. excuse for big stars is, 'They
The undisputed super mid- only fight twice a year.'
dleweight world champion Well, he's just fought four
will move up to light heavy- times. I do think other stars
weight for the second time ought to be more active,
on May 7 to take on WBA and he's setting the exam-
champion Dmitry Bivol (19- ple."
0, 11 KOs) in Las Vegas. Bivol has his own concerns
If Álvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) as a Russian athlete put in a
wins, and if Gennady Go- painful position by the inva-
lovkin beats Ryota Murata sion of Ukraine.
in Japan in April, Álvarez Canelo Alvarez, second from left, of Mexico, poses with Dmitry Bivol, right, of Russia, Wednesday, Bivol was born in Kyrgyz-
and Golovkin will complete March 2, 2022, in San Diego as promoter Eddie Hearn, second from right, and Alvarez's trainer, stan, but his parents moved
their highly entertaining tril- Eddy Reynoso, left, look on. to St. Petersburg when he
ogy in the late summer or Associated Press was 11 years old. His wife,
early fall. children and family are still
"For me, it's to continue to in 11 months while claiming payday guaranteed by been notably reluctant to in Russia while he prepares
make history, right?" Álva- all four 168-pound belts last sharing a ring with Álvarez. accept a third fight with to train for this bout in the
rez said Wednesday as he year. "I feel I'm in my prime. "I know I'm the best fighter, the Kazakh middleweight U.S.
opened promotion of his I feel more confident in ev- but I fought the best fight- star, claiming a personal "I have a lot of friends in
showdown with Bivol, slat- erything, more strong, so I ers in the division, and I grudge against him, but Ukraine," Bivol said. "I have
ed for T-Mobile Arena. "I like don't know if it's because beat everybody at 168," streaming service DAZN a lot of friends in Russia. My
the idea to go to 175 and I'm more active or not, but I Álvarez said. "You still say, has been eager for Álvarez family is in Russia. I have a
fight (Bivol), the second- like to be in the ring." 'No, but you need to fight to take the most market- lot of friends everywhere,
best fighter in that division, He will have significant ...' Why? I don't understand able bout possible for both and I wish them only peace
the champion. That's a height and size disadvan- that. But right now, I can fighters. and only the best. It's re-
good challenge for me." tages against Bivol, but do whatever I want, and I Álvarez began promotion ally sad for me. Every day
Álvarez also intends to take that's all part of the chal- just do the best things and I of his showdown with Bivol I wake up and read the
a third fight in Decem- lenge to Álvarez, who fight with the best, with the in San Diego, where he news and I hope it will stop."
ber, likely against either a stopped Sergey Kovalev champions. ... (Bivol) has lives and trains and plays 18 Bivol and Hearn both said
cruiserweight champion in his only previous light something to offer me. He's holes of golf almost every they expect the bout to be
or a super middleweight heavyweight bout in 2019. a world champion at 175. day of the year. He rolled held as scheduled, while
mandatory challenger. After blasting through ev- He's a better fighter than up to the tent outside the realizing the world could
It all adds up to another ery 168-pound belt-holder (Charlo or Benavidez)." harborside hotel in a black- change dramatically in
busy year for boxing's most last year, he decided not to Álvarez will go back down and-blue Bugatti Chiron, two months. The four major
bankable star, one whose take another fight at super to 168 pounds to fight Go- and he briefly delayed his sanctioning bodies in box-
work ethic hasn't flagged middleweight against the lovkin, who battled him first interview session to an- ing haven't yet attempted
with his increasing fame likes of two-time champion to a draw in their first bout swer texts from his wife. to stop Russian fighters from
and fortune. David Benavidez or middle- before Álvarez got a nar- Don't let Álvarez's comfort- competing, but have re-
"I like to be busy," said Álva- weight star Jermall Charlo, row decision in the sec- able American life fool any- fused to sanction title fights
rez, who fought four times who would both love the ond matchup. Álvarez had one, though. He remains in Russia.q

Red Bull extend F1 champ Verstap-

pen's contract through 2028

LONDON (AP) — Formula easy decision," the Dutch- "Our immediate focus is
One champion Max Ver- man said in a statement. on retaining Max's world
stappen has signed a new "I love this team and last championship title, but this
deal that keeps him at Red year was simply incredible. deal also shows he is a part
Bull to 2028. Our goal since we came of the team's long-term
The 24-year-old Verstappen together in 2016 was to win planning," team principal
was rewarded on Thursday the championship and we Christian Horner said.
for beating Lewis Hamilton have done that, so now it's "With the Red Bull Pow-
to win his first world champi- about keeping the number ertrains division working
onship last year, with anoth- one on the car long-term." towards the new engine Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands walks through
er five years added on the Verstappen, who made his regulations for 2026 we a corridor during a Formula One pre-season testing session at
the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside of Barcelona,
contract that ran through F1 debut at the age of 17, wanted to make sure we Spain, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.
2023. "Choosing to stay to will open his title defense in had the best driver on the Associated Press
the 2028 season was an Bahrain on March 20. grid secured for that car."q