[8.9] CANELO ALVAREZ 54-51(35)-1-2 [Super-Middleweight & Middleweight & Light-Middleweight]: The Telegraph online - Boxing: Canelo - The Greatest Athlete You’ve Never Seen ***** TV -
The debate will rage long into boxing history as it did into the night in Sin City.
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez claimed a majority decision victory over bitter rival Gennady Golovkin in the most talked-about fight in the United States this year, as the Mexican took the No 1 middleweight world title spot in what proved to be a second, compelling, back-and-forth struggle against the Kazakh in the entertainment capital of the world.
The first fight had been controversial for its improbably drawn verdict, with Golovkin the clear victor, but this second edition was a much closer fight. A rematch had been scheduled for May 5, cancelled when Alvarez failed two drug tests for the performance-enhancing drug clenbuterol which led to a suspension of six months from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Alvarez was far more aggressive this time, planting his feet and attempting to take the centre of the ring, landing heavier punches.
Golovkin was more effective with his jab, landing more punches over the 12-round battle in which both men were cut around the eyes.
Given the closeness of the contest and the match up of styles, there is every reason to believe the two elite fighters may yet agree to have a third fight. It may come down to whether the older man by eight years, Golovkin, is willing to put his body through the mill again.
The victory for Alvarez drew to an end Golovkin’s undefeated 39-fight streak and historic record of 20 middleweight title defences, shared with 160-pound legend Bernard Hopkins, a member of Alvarez’s promotional team.
The judges Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld scored the fight 115-113 for Alvarez – effectively seven rounds to five. The third judge, Glenn Feldman scored it 114-114, six rounds apiece. Moretti and Weisfeld’s assessment that Alvarez won the 12th round – Feldman had it for Triple G – effectively gave the Mexican the spoils. It was that close, that debatable. The Telegraph scored it 116-112 for Golovkin, eight rounds to four.
‘I showed my victory with facts. He was the one who was backing up,’ said Alvarez, outlining that he had planned to be more aggressive than in their first encounter. ‘I feel satisfied because I gave a great fight. It was a clear victory.’
There was no complaint from Golovkin’s team afterwards, though the defeated champion left the T-Mobile Arena immediately after the scores were made public. ‘I can’t complain. That’s what we have the judges for,’ commented Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer.
‘We had a great fight, the one we expected the first time around. I had it close going into the 12th round. We had good judges who saw it from different angles. I can’t complain about the decision, but it’s close enough to warrant a third fight. Canelo fought a great fight.’
Golovkin said later that he would consider a third contest. The fight was close on the cards, and close on statistics. CompuBox statistics had counter-puncher Alvarez landing 202 of 622 punches with Golovkin landing 234 of 879, outscoring 28-year-old Alvarez in eight of the 12 rounds. ‘It was a great fight, but in the end, it was a victory for Mexico,’ said Alvarez. ‘I want to shout out to my opponent, the best in the sport of boxing. If the people want another round, I’ll do it again.’ The Telegraph online article Gareth A Davies 16 November, ‘Dethroned Gennady Galovkin holds key to third fight with Canelo Alzarez’
He was long envisioned as the next great champion from his boxing-crazed nation. Canelo Alvarez has fulfilled every bit of that promise and more. A world champion in four different weight classes, and the consensus pound for pound king of the sport … This is Canelo. Boxing: Canelo: The Greatest Athlete You’ve Never Seen ***** BBC 2021
Canelo transformed himself into one of the most talked about prospects in boxing, and eventually it felt like every time he stepped into the ring he rook another step closer to stardom. ibid.
‘In winning that second fight [v Golovkin] was becoming the biggest attraction in world boxing.’ ibid.
44) Floyd Mayweather ***** Lost MD 12: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Floyd Mayweather 14 September 2013 WBA WBC Light-Middleweight Nevada [r1] … Floyd coming forwards … Nice counter left hook by Alvarez … [r2] … Canelo eats the jab from Mayweather … Now Canelo doubling up on the jab … Canelo with a big left hook … [r3] … Canelo quick first with the jab … combination … Combination by Mayweather … counter-jab by Canelo … [r4] … Double left hook by Canelo … Mayweather countering … nice right hand off the jab … stiff right hand to the body … nice combination [Canelo] … great round … [r5] … Alvarez goes to the body … Counter right thrown by Canelo … triple jab … Great right hand [Mayweather] … left and right … [r6] … Right uppercut by Canelo … Left hook … toe to toe … counter-attack by Alvarez … [r7] … A lot of exchanges … right hand to the body by Mayweather … sublime uppercut … beginning to tee-off … Canelo comes back … [r8] … Alvarez goes to work on the body … combinations to the body by Mayweather … Canelo with a straight right hand … has Floyd Mayweather on the ropes … Double left hand by Mayweather … [r9] … The bigger man backing up … Double jab from Canelo countered … Right hand [Mayweather] … Double jab … [r10] … Nice double jab by Canelo … Mayweather getting busy … Right hand [Canelo] … [r11] … Right hand by Mayweather … now going on the attack … [r12] … Canelo needs a knockout … Who can get to Floyd Mayweather? … Canelo with the right hand over the top … right hand … [114-114, 116-112, 117-111]. US fight commentary
47) James Kirkland KO3: US Fight Commentary TV -
v James Kirkland 9 May 2015 Houston Texas [r1] … Right hand over the top by Canelo Alvarez … Kirkland fires away … Canelo with the good left hook … and a straight right hand … Kirland hurt again … Hard right hand by Canelo … Hard right hand: down goes Kirkland … hard left look … Huge body shot by Canelo … Canelo working … That was an assault … [r2] … Left hook to the body and another … straight left … uppercut … He’s hitting hit with everything … right uppercut … another big rally … [r3] … This is a fight … Target practice … Uppercut knocks Kirkland down … There’s a perfect straight right hand … Talk about closing the show … wow. US fight commentary
49) Amir Khan KO6: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Amir Khan 7 May 2016 WBC Middleweight Nevada [r1] … Jabs from Khan … hard right hand … left hook … Right hand to the body [Alvarez] … hard left hook … [r2] … Right hand to the body [Alvarez] … Another one-two that lands for Amir Khan … Canelo landed a right hand to the body … [r3] … Khan took that left hook very well … Good left hook by Khan … one-two … [r4] … Good right hand by Khan over the top; good body shot by Alvarez in return … [r5] … Hard left hook by Alvarez … able to land more of his big shots … building up the body damage … [r6] … Canelo outboxing Khan … Hand speed by Khan … Oh tremendous right hand shot by Canelo … knocked Khan cold … A spectacular knockout. US fight commentary
50) Liam Smith KO9: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Liam Smith 17 September 2016 WBO Light-Middleweight Texas [r1] … Hard right hand by Canelo … fast start … all Alvarez …built like a 154-lb tank … another body shot … [r2] … Canelo is motivated … First solid shot he’s [Smith] landed … [Canelo] starting to rumble again … another hard right to the body … mark above the left eye … [r3] … [Canelo] Big left hand to the body … A hard right hand … another … excellent combinations … Good uppercut by Smith … [r4] … A mark on Liam Smith’s face … taking a beating … [r5] … Uppercut doubled by Canelo … Good shot by Smith … right hand … [r6] … Canelo is putting on a show … Tough guy Liam Smith … he is catching Canelo … [Canelo] uppercut, uppercut … Great body shot from Canelo with the right hand … [r7] … Those bodyshots have taken a lot out of Smith … Down goes Smith … Alvarez with a big left hook … brilliant left hook … Smith is going to close this round with a rally … [r8] … Canelo landing more than half his power shots … Good left hand [Smith] … [Canelo] Good body shot … Smith goes to the canvas … [r9] … Blood-letting … Terrific fight … Canelo’s on a different level … Number three … That is a knockout … US fight commentary
52) Gennady Golovkin I Draw: UK Fight Commentary TV -
v Gennady Golovkin I 16 September 2017 WBA WBC IBF Middleweight Nevada [r1] … A fight for the ages … Golovkin marching forward … Alvarez gets off his shots … [r2] … Speed was always going to be an issue for Golovkin … Golovkin is an absolute barrel of a man … Nice counter from Alvarez … [r3] … A flurry from Golovkin … Love uppercut from the Mexican … [r4] … Left hook [Golovkin] … Golovkin’s taken control since … good right hand … A level fight … [r5] … Golovkin’s trying to load up … A brooding intensity … big right hand … back comes Alvarez … There’s the speed … Fantastic stuff … [r6] … Golovkin’s getting through … an uppercut … What a response from Alvarez … counter-punching sharply … [r7] … Lovely right hand [Golovkin] … the pressure is unrelenting … A Golovkin round … [r8] … Solid jab [Golovkin] … [Alvarez] Run round the ring by Golovkin … [r9] … He’s [Alvarez] behind … Good shot [Golovkin] … Now they go at it … Huge right hand by Canelo … Great little shot there from Alvarez … Captivating … Golovkin is pulling away with the busier work … [r10] … Good work [Alvarez] … better from Alvarez … huge right hand … Big right hand there from Golovkin … left hook [Alvarez] … It’s all GGG … [r11] … Right hand there from Alvarez … three punch combination … uppercut … uppercut back … [r12] … Uppercut [Alvarez] … He [Alvarez] wobbled a bit … Right hand from Alvarez and from Golovkin … UK fight commentary
53) Gennady Golovkin II ***** MD12: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Gennady Golovkin 15 September 2018 WBA WBC Middleweight Nevada [r1] … Canelo’s looking to counter G … [r2] … Toe to toe … Left hook from Canelo … he’s got the speed … He’s punching with more conviction … Nice shot from GGG … [r3] … They exchange uppercuts … Canelo standing right there and throwing … Hook from Canelo … Nice combo … [r4] … Excellent form [Alvarez] … Uppercut by Gennady … Body shot from Canelo … A great fight … [r5] … Strong right [Canelo] … two from Canelo to the body … [r6] … Middle of the ring … they are trading heavy leather … Canelo has connected very well to the body … [r7] … The younger fighter taking control … We’re not used to seeing Gennady backing up … [r8] … Canelo’s doing very well … This is a torrid pace … [r9] … Lazy right hand from Gennady … shot to the body [Alvarez] … Both guys standing and trading … Canelo is slowing down … Putting on a show … [r10] … Golovkin swelling under both eyes … right hand … right hand Canelo … good right hand … still slugging away … [r11] … Canelo is going backwards … On the ropes for the first time … Solid right hand from Gennady Golovkin … [r12] … GGG landed … just beautiful boxing … The best against the best. US fight commentary
54) Rocky Fielding TKO3: UK Fight Commentary TV -
v Rocky Fielding 15 December 2018 WBA Super-Middleweight New York [r1] … Big height advantage for Fielding … There’s the body shot and again from Alvarez … lovely body shot … backing Fielding on the ropes … Another body shot and down goes Fielding … another … left hand as well to the head … [r2] … The No 1 superstar in boxing … Right hand to the body … another left hook to the body … Uppercut: back comes Fielding … and body shot and down he goes … [r3] … Body shots … again … Massive shot this time to the head … Beautiful body shot … It is over. UK fight commentary