For the first time in the four-belt era, this Saturday night in Las Vegas, two undisputed champions will step in the ring together. Canelo Alvarez is the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO Super-Middleweight Champion, while Jermell Charlo holds the same, two division down. The American will be stepping up to Alvarez’s division, however, and looking to unseat the Mexican from his throne.
It’s refreshing to see a fight made between two fighters in their prime and there’s plenty to analyse ahead of this clash. Can Charlo maintain his power at a higher weight grade? Is Alvarez in decline, or have his recent fights been impacted by injury? We answer all these questions and more by looking at the latest betting odds from bookmaker bet365 and outlining the best bets to make on Alvarez vs. Charlo this weekend.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: September 30th, 3:00 P.M. (GMT)
Bookmaker bet365 has Canelo Alvarez as the heavy favourite heading into this fight. The Mexican pays just 1.22 to win the bout, well ahead of Jermell Charlo’s odds of 4.25 to win. If anything, these odds feel a little skewed towards Alvarez, with Charlo’s chances being underrated here by the bookies.
In terms of method of victory odds, Alvarez winning on points is the leading option, with this result paying 1.80. Next is an Alvarez knockout at 3.25, before Charlo winning by decision is rated as the American’s best chance at 6.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: September 30th, 3:00 P.M. (GMT)
The fact that there are so many questions hanging over this fight make it challenging to bet on. Canelo Alvarez is one of the all-time greats of boxing, but he’s looked to be declining over recent fights, and hasn’t recorded a knockout in two years. Is this a sign that the Mexican is past his prime—or was he simply recovering from his hand injury?
For those who believe that his poor performances recently can be explained by injury, then backing Alvarez to come out and win by knockout is a great wager. Charlo is stepping well outside of his comfort zone, and a fully healthy Alvarez should be able to finish him off late in the contest.
However, those who believe Alvarez is on the decline, should consider backing Charlo for an upset here. The American is an undisputed champion and pays 4.25 to win. He may be stepping up weight divisions, but he’s still tall and has a long reach, while Alvarez is known to be small for his division. Charlo loves to perform when the spotlight is on him, and Saturday night could be his big moment.
