What makes boxing great is that despite there being clear favourites in some big fights, quite often the script can be flipped and it is the underdog who triumphs, and writes themselves into the sport's history books.
Members of the DAZN team pick their biggest upsets from the past half-year. Do you agree with their picks?
Christopher Walker
Upset of the half-year – Hector Garcia WPTS12 Chris Colbert
(Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME)
2022 has been a kind year for favourites but there are a few notable exceptions, including Dmitry Bivol shocking Canelo Alvarez and Martin Bakole outlasting Tony Yoka. Chris Colbert’s loss to Hector Garcia was a result that nobody saw coming though when the pair met in February.
Colbert had been identified as one of America’s brightest hopes, but it was obvious early on that he was going to struggle against the little-known Dominican. Colbert was hurt on multiple occasions and was eventually dropped in round seven. Garcia maintained his efforts in the fight’s second half before receiving a wide verdict from the judges.
Matt Astbury
Upset of the half year – Dmitry Bivol UD Canelo Alvarez
When Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez made the decision to move up to light heavyweight once more to face WBA champion Dmitry Bivol, some fans thought the Mexican had enough to overcome one of the best at 175lbs following his stoppage win against Sergey Kovalev in 2019.
What transpired on May 7 however in Las Vegas was completely different. Bivol made sure his size made it difficult for Canelo, who didn’t get a chance to inflict any significant damage and as a result showed signs of frustration, something that fans have rarely seen in recent fights.
Following the loss, Canelo is now dropping back down to super middleweight to face Gennadiy Golovkin for a third time, but it’s expected he will face Bivol in a rematch next year and it will be interesting to see what the Mexican will change in order to have a better chance of toppling the WBA light heavyweight champion.
Steven Muehlhausen
Upset of the half year – Dmitry Bivol UD Canelo Alvarez
Going into the fight, the prevailing thought was Alvarez would run Bivol over before going on to face Gennadiy Golovkin. He’d been a runaway train, jumping up and down different weight classes and winning with relative ease. Alvarez hadn’t lost since a September 2013 decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
It was only the second time that Alvarez had competed at light heavyweight. None of that mattered to Bivol. He blocked out all the noise during fight week and delivered. Bivol controlled the bulk of the fight to win by unanimous decision to walk out of Las Vegas with his WBA (super) light heavyweight title intact.
George Lacey
Upset of the half year - Jesse Rodriguez UD Carlos Cuadras
I cannot look past the prodigy that is Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez.
From mere obscurity to superstar overnight, Rodriguez beat Carlos Cuadras for the vacant WBC world super flyweight title on six days' notice and became the youngest world champion in boxing during the process which takes some topping. I can't see him featuring on many more 'Upsets of the Year' lists anytime soon.
What a talent!