Canelo Alvarez remains one of the most dominant fighters in boxing. The WBO super welterweight champion has yet to defend his title and still won't this weekend when he battles Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Las Vegas on May 6.Alvarez, who earned the title with a ninth-round TKO of Liam Smith last year, appears to not plan on defending the belt either. He has said he's moving to middleweight full time after this fight, presumably with the intention of fighting Gennady Golovkin later in 2017.
Though that fight has been long discussed, many questions remain. But for now, Alvarez faces a stiff test in Chavez Jr., a power puncher willing to swing with Alvarez.
Oddsmakers appear to favor Alvarez even if this fight becomes a slugfest, however, installing Canelo as a large favorite at -460, though that is down from his opening at -650. A $100 bet on Chavez Jr. would return $360.
Also fighting on the card is quick rising David Lemieux, who is a massive favorite against Marco Reyes in the co-main event. While there are no odds available, Lucas Matthysee and Joseph Diaz Jr. are both set to fight on the undercard and should be considered favorites over their foes this weekend.
Be sure to check out our SportsLine breakdown on the best ways to bet Canelo vs. Chavez.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. odds
| Favorite | Challenger | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
Canelo Alvarez -460 | Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. +360 | Catchweight |
David Lemieux -3500 | Marco Reyes +1600 | Middleweight |
Lucas Matthysee | Emmanuel Taylor | Super lightweight |
Joseph Diaz Jr. | Manuel Avila | Featherweight |