Canelo Alvarez vs. Avni Yildirim odds Unsurprisingly, Alvarez is a hefty betting favorite at -5000, meaning you’d have to wager $5,000 to win $100. Yildirim, meanwhile, is +1400, which means.

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Timeform reveal their top-rated, highlight the most interesting improver, comment on a flag horse and come up with a verdict for Kempton's Saturday feature.

The Top-Rated

Ramon Alvarez, 28-8, is Canelo’s elder brother and currently hails from the middleweight division. He has never touched a world title but has some recognized belts under his name including the WBC United States Silver title. He lost his last fight against Erislandy Lara via. Now, the brothers have all gone on to varying degrees of bigger and better things. Lonzo is an established NBA point guard. LaMelo is aligned to be a top-five NBA Draft pick in 2020.

Al Dancer (Timeform weight-adjusted rating: 171)

Al Dancer only lost his unbeaten record over hurdles as a novice when contesting the Supreme at the Cheltenham Festival after completing a four-timer in the Betfair Hurdle. That augured well for his switch to fences last season and he got off to a good start by winning at Cheltenham on his chasing debut, but he just fell short of winning in better company, finishing second behind Put The Kettle On and Mister Fisher in graded events. He was then behind Put The Kettle On again when fifth in the Arkle. Once again, Al Dancer began the latest season on a high, by beating Master Tommytucker in an intermediate chase at Newton Abbot, but after finishing a creditable third when favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup next time, he was most disappointing when tailed off, sent off favourite again, in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup back at Cheltenham. He has looked worth trying at three miles in the past and steps up to that trip for the first time here, so could easily bounce back after a break.

The Improver

Cap du Nord (168)

In a race lacking any notably progressive individuals, Cap du Nord has been better than ever this season despite having quite a few miles on the clock over fences. After a very promising return at Wincanton, he was successful under his now regular partner, Jack Tudor, in a competitive handicap at Newbury in December when readily accounting for Canelo and Mellow Ben. Cap du Nord has run well in defeat in both outings since when equipped with cheekpieces. He improved further when finding only the rapidly-improving Royale Pagaille too good over this course and distance next time, finishing a long way clear of the rest, and then stayed on for third behind Takingrisks and Aye Right from a career-high mark in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster. The reliable Cap du Nord, who holds a Grand National entry, is versatile with regards to ground, and can go well again.

The Timeform Flag

Southfield Stone (Trainer in form)

Free Canelo Fight Tonight

Southfield Stone will be making his third consecutive appearance on this card, having won the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle in 2019 and finished second in the Pendil Novices’ Chase last season, so we know he acts well round Kempton. He beat the subsequent Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Coole Cody in a novice chase at Cheltenham on his return in October before coming up against impressive winner Protektorat in a similar event there next time. Whilst well held in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham when last seen over fences, it’s encouraging that Southfield Stone, who steps up to three miles for the first time, comes here on the back of a win in a jumpers’ bumper back at Kempton earlier this month. Paul Nicholls has his string in top form and is also represented by top weight Black Corton who was runner-up off a 1 lb higher mark in this race 12 months ago.

The Verdict

Al Dancer failed to fire in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham last time but his third to Coole Cody in the Paddy Power Gold Cup there prior to that is undoubtedly good form and he can bounce back with this first attempt at three miles looking well worth a try. Cap du Nord is a must for the shortlist after three excellent efforts in strong handicaps, including when runner-up to Royale Pagaille over course and distance at Christmas. Double Shuffle, twice runner-up in this contest off higher marks, was third in the same race in December, and his latest course-and-distance win has been boosted since, so he's also shortlisted.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings:
171 Al Dancer
170 Aso
169 Black Corton
169 Cap du Nord
169 Fingerontheswitch
169 Southfield Stone

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One of the sport’s power players is proclaiming that Jermall Charlo is the preeminent middleweight on the planet.

Saul Canelo Alvarez Boxing Record

“Jermall Charlo is the best middleweight in the world right now,” Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe told BoxingScene.com in an interview. “There are few other guys at 160, namely Canelo, who will have something to say about that. Jermall is on a mission to prove something to the world. Jermall’s style is all wrong for Canelo. They would never put him in there with Charlo. I don’t think Canelo goes anywhere near Jermall. He’s an animal.”

Charlo (30-0, 22 KOs) will be stepping into the ring Saturday for a fight, but Alvarez will not be waiting for him. Instead, Ukrainian Olympian Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) will be the man across from him looking to pull off the upset on Showtime pay per view (7:00 p.m. ET, $74.95) at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Charlo is 5-0 as a middleweight but does not boast a resume that compares to the likes of Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin, who’ve already punched their tickets into the Hall of Fame. Charlo has bested Dennis Hogan and Matvey Korobov at 160 but his more telling wins have actually come at 154 pounds against Julian Williams and Austin Trout in 2016.

Derevyanchenko is a two-time title challenger who’s come close to defeating both Golovkin, arguably the best middleweight of the century, and Daniel Jacobs.

Although Derevyanchenko is a serious step up in the class of competition for the 30-year-old Charlo, Ellerbe believes Charlo will display a dominant performance and score a KO in no later than six rounds to further show he’s superior to Alvarez.

Floyd Mayweather Vs Canelo Alvarez

“Canelo is a tremendous fighter, and I have so much respect for him. He has an impeccable resume,” said Ellerbe. “But Charlo is too big, athletic and too fast at 160 for Canelo.”

In January, Oscar De La Hoya said he offered Charlo and his team a deal to fight Alvarez, but an agreement was never brokered.

'We offered [Jermall] a pretty lucrative deal to fight Canelo last year. I don’t know who turned it down,' said De La Hoya. 'I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Charlo, but that train has already left and it’s unfortunate.”

Charlo is the owner of the WBC middleweight belt because the sanctioning body elevated Alvarez to its franchise champion last year. The 2019 fighter of the year Alvarez scored a win at 160 last year against Jacobs, and later against Sergey Kovalev at 175, but his days competing as a middleweight might be over, despite the fact that he still holds a WBA title in the division.

Alvarez was eyeing a super middleweight showdown against Billy Joe Saunders before coronavirus, and now litigation against DAZN and Golden Boy Promotions, reared its ugly head.

Considering Alvarez and Charlo’s affiliations and career trajectories, a fight between the two is a far-fetched notion in the immediate future.

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist and member of the Boxing Writers Assn. of America since 2011. He has written for the likes of the LA Times, Guardian, USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Men’s Health and NFL.com. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan or via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com.