Gennadiy Golovkin had run roughshod through the middleweight division for years, knocking out one opponent after another. He might’ve been the most feared fighter in the world at that time. Then came two close encounters with Canelo Alvarez and …
Gennadiy Golovkin had run roughshod through the middleweight division for years, knocking out one opponent after another. He might’ve been the most feared fighter in the world at that time.
Then came two close encounters with Canelo Alvarez and tough fights with Steve Rolls and rugged Sergey Derevyanchenko in which Triple-G looked mortal.
The question was asked at that time: Is Golovkin losing it?
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss whether one of the most respected fighters of his generation is still feared at 38.
Golovkin said he plans to follow through on plans to defend his middleweight title against mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin III? It’ll have to wait until next year, apparently.
Golovkin told Sports Illustrated that he plans to follow through on plans to defend his middleweight title against mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta, although when it will take place remains uncertain because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Alvarez presumably would be next in line if Triple-G beats Szeremeta.
“I made a commitment before all this situation with coronavirus happened,” Golovkin said. “I’m talking about my fight with Szeremeta. I intend to keep my word. Once the situation changes, as soon as everything is back to normal, I intend to have this fight first.”
Alvarez and Golovkin fought to a draw in September 2017; the Mexican won the rematch by a decision the following September.
Golovkin pointed out that Alvarez had not been eager to face him a third time.
“They actually avoided this fight in September,” he said. “They didn’t want to fight in May of 2020. So I went my way. I have my own career, and I figured: How long should I wait?”
DAZN News assigned three staffers to rescore the first fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin. Here’s what they discovered.
Editor’s note: This report originally appeared on DAZN News.
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On Sept. 16, 2017, Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin met in a highly anticipated showdown between two of the best fighters in the world, regardless of weight class.
The fight took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, in front of a sold out crowd of 22,358 fans that generated the third-highest gate in boxing history, surpassing Alvarez’s fight with Floyd Mayweather. It also drew 1.3 million domestic PPV buys as the boxing world clamored to see a clash between the indestructible force of middleweight titleholder Golovkin and the boxing brilliance of Alvarez.
At that point in his career, Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs) was widely recognized as a top-three pound-for-pound fighter. Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) was equally as brilliant, his only loss coming at the hands of all-time great Mayweather. It was a true 50-50 fight between two of the best in the world.
The fight lived up to the hype in terms of it competitiveness and action but fans were left unsatisfied with a split draw. Judge Dave Moretti scored the fight 115-113 for Golovkin while Don Trella saw it even at 114-114. The third judge, Adalaide Byrd, had a scorecard in favor of Alvarez by an inexplicably wide margin of 118-110 (10 rounds to 2).
Most observers thought Golovkin did enough to win and everyone was outraged by Byrd’s score, which made the result controversial and led to a rematch — won by Alvarez — a year later.
But who really won their first meeting? That’s the question we’re out to answer.
DAZN News appointed its own judges, with Andreas Hale, Mark Lelinwalla and Steven Muehlhausen rewatching the fight in real time and offering their own scorecards to compare to what the ringside judges had. DAZN News judges also offered a round-by-round analysis of what they perceived to be taking place inside the ring to give context to their respective scorecards.
Round 1
Hale: A feeling-out round that GGG controlled by being the aggressor. Canelo sought to counter and picked up the pace late in the round, but Golovkin coming forward and popping the jab earned him the first frame.
Lelinwalla: Golovkin was stalking Canelo on the front foot, trying to assert the jab and even letting loose on a few combinations as the aggressor. Golovkin forward-fighting here. Canelo unleashed back-to-back combinations that just missed. Ditto for a counter right uppercut that would have done damage had it landed.
Muehlhausen: Both guys tried to establish the jab from the outset. Alvarez was more active, showed good footwork and landed the harder shots while Golovkin was trying to get his feet wet.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: GGG 10-9
Lelinwalla: GGG 10-9
Muehlhausen: Canelo 10-9
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9
Moretti: Canelo 10-9
Trella: Canelo 10-9
Round 2
Hale: A more aggressive Canelo let his hands go and found success with well placed counterpunching and body shots. Putting GGG on his back foot was also key. Still, GGG landed with the jab. Not enough to take the round.
Lelinwalla: Canelo detonated a left-right combination that caused Golovkin to shake his head, which almost certainly means that it caught his attention. Seconds later, Canelo deposited a straight left hand into GGG’s midsection, with a stinging right that followed moments later. Canelo added a right uppercut counter to the body during the waning seconds.
Muehlhausen: Could see Alvarez getting into a rhythm. He was using the jab to set up the patented left hook to the body. Golovkin was going headhunting; he needs to be using combinations to set up those shots. The look Alvarez gave Golovkin when the horn sounded was one of those where he’s saying, “I got you figured out.”
DAZN News Judges
Hale: Canelo 10-9 (19-19)
Lelinwalla: Canelo 10-9 (19-19)
Muehlhausen: Canelo 10-9 (20-18 Canelo)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (20-18 Canelo)
Moretti: Canelo 10-9 (20-18 Canelo)
Trella: Canelo 10-9 (20-18 Canelo)
Round 3
Hale: A very close round that saw GGG start off fast by putting the right hand behind his effective jab, but Canelo came on strong late with body shots, making GGG miss and countering. GGG’s pressure barely earns him the round, but it’s a toss up.
Lelinwalla: GGG went back to that left jab, with Canelo countering to the body. Canelo quickly went to the body with his left, before launching a right hook that grazed Golovkin. Uppercut landed for Canelo. GGG brushed Canelo back with some hard right hands. GGG ended the round strongly, but Canelo took it. These rounds are very close.
Muehlhausen: As soon I say that from the previous round, Alvarez’s footwork got a bit sloppy, and Golovkin started to get into a rhythm. He was stalking Alvarez and throwing combinations. You could see some of those affected Alvarez as he wasn’t as willing to engage in the pocket.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: GGG 10-9 (29-28 GGG)
Lelinwalla: Canelo 10-9 (29-28 Canelo)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (29-28 Canelo)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (30-27 Canelo)
Moretti: GGG 10-9 (29-28 Canelo)
Trella: GGG 10-9 (29-28 Canelo)
Round 4
Hale: Canelo has been brilliant defensively thus far. However, he spent a great deal of time trying to bait GGG with his back on the ropes and allowed his opponent to dictate much of the action. Not nearly enough output by Canelo to take yet another closely contested round.
Lelinwalla: Golovkin was moving forward and landed a combination early on. Golovkin had Alvarez up against the ropes, landing some shots, missing others, with the Mexican fighter looking for his opportunity to counter. Canelo was up against the ropes, egging GGG on. Golovkin responded with volume — again some punches landing, some missing their mark. But he was more active.
Muehlhausen: The best round of the fight up to this point for Golovkin. The best recipe against Alvarez is to get him to the ropes and go to work. I like how he stayed composed and threw where he found openings instead of throwing for the sake of it and getting countered by Alvarez.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: GGG 10-9 (39-37 GGG)
Lelinwalla: GGG 10-9 (38-38)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (38-38)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: GGG 10-9 (39-37 Canelo)
Moretti: GGG 10-9 (38-38)
Trella: GGG 10-9 (38-38)
Round 5
Hale: GGG landed a huge right hand that was the biggest of the fight thus far. It was another round where Canelo kept his back along the ropes for extended periods of time without firing much of anything back in response. This was the first clear GGG round.
Lelinwalla: Canelo with a right-left combo that Golovkin absorbed, walked through and threw a flurry in response with the Mexican fighter up against the ropes. Canelo dug a crunching left hook into GGG’s body moments later. Both fighters exchanged stinging right hands, before Golovkin launched a big right hook that caught Canelo flush across the jaw. Canelo shook it off, but he felt that. Best punch of the fight thus far.
Muehlhausen: Golovkin is dictating where everything is going. If he wants to get Alvarez to the ropes and keep him there, he can. If Alvarez tries to shift to the middle of the ring, Golovkin’s right there and in his face. Golovkin landed a couple of hard-left hands that Alvarez shook off, which is a sign he was a bit stunned. I can see Alvarez slowing down slightly. The tide has shifted toward Golovkin.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: GGG 10-9 (49-46 GGG)
Lelinwalla: GGG 10-9 (48-47 GGG)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (48-47 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (49-46 Canelo)
Moretti: GGG 10-9 (48-47 GGG)
Trella: GGG 10-9 (48-47 GGG)
Round 6
Hale: A theme has been established in the fight. Whenever Canelo takes the center of the ring, his hand speed and upper body movement gives him an advantage. However, his strategy has been to put his back against the ropes and look to explode. GGG cranked up the pressure late in the round and landed the jab along with several lead right hands, and that gave him the edge.
Lelinwalla: Golovkin had Canelo on the ropes. He kept cutting off the ring on Canelo, who was looking for a razor-sharp counter, but wasn’t keeping up with GGG’s volume.
Muehlhausen: Golovkin is getting rounds in the bank. He’s finally listening to head trainer Abel Sanchez and ripping the body and then going upstairs. Alvarez’s best success has been in the middle of the ring. He’s not doing it enough to score points. He needs to alter his strategy and in a hurry. Things are starting to slip away for the Mexican star.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: GGG 10-9 (59-55 GGG)
Lelinwalla: GGG 10-9 (58-56 GGG)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (58-56 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (59-55 Canelo)
Moretti: GGG 10-9 (58-56 GGG)
Trella: GGG 10-9 (58-56 GGG)
Round 7
Hale: It was a close round, but GGG’s jab was a huge difference-maker. Canelo’s unwillingness to engage and allowing GGG to press the action shouldn’t be rewarded by the judges. Canelo is facing an uphill battle if he continues to let his opponent dictate the pace.
Lelinwalla: A firefight briefly ensued, with GGG landing a hard right hand and a jab at the end of it. He was still walking Canelo down around the ring. Canelo moved around the ring, but got caught up against the ropes again, where GGG landed a couple of shots. Golovkin was pretty much giving chase to Canelo at this point, as he relentlessly crowded Alvarez’s space and threw punches in bunches.
Muehlhausen: What Golovkin is doing is a thing of beauty. He’s combining his power and technical prowess to confuse Alvarez, who keeps taking deep breaths. Alvarez is winging shots instead of sitting on them. All Golovkin right now.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: GGG 10-9 (69-64 GGG)
Lelinwalla: GGG 10-9 (68-65 GGG)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (68-65 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: GGG 10-9 (68-65 Canelo)
Moretti: GGG 10-9 (68-65 GGG)
Trella: Canelo 10-9 (67-66 GGG)
Round 8
Hale: There has yet to be a clear Canelo round in this fight. Canelo landed a great uppercut and countered well enough to sneak out the round. But it could easily be in favor of GGG due to the pressure and the continued success of the jab.
Lelinwalla: Canelo brought the fight to the center of the ring, where he’s more comfortable. He landed a chopping right hand on GGG early. But Golovkin snapped Canelo’s head back with a stinging left jab seconds later. GGG was more than willing to stand straight up in close quarters with Canelo and trade fire.
Muehlhausen: You could see the confidence in Golovkin growing second by second. The jab was crisp. He has been applying constant pressure and now is the one landing the harder shots. It’s time for Canelo to get it together because he doesn’t have much time left.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: Canelo 10-9 (78-74 GGG)
Lelinwalla: GGG 10-9 (78-74 GGG)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (78-74 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (78-74 Canelo)
Moretti: GGG 10-9 (78-74 GGG)
Trella: GGG 10-9 (77-75 GGG)
Round 9
Hale: Canelo started off fast, but GGG covered up and then began to press forward. Canelo landed a huge right hand, the most effective shot from his side the entire fight. The problem continues to be that Canelo takes his foot off the gas and allows GGG to close the distance. Canelo is tiring but barely squeezes out another close round.
Lelinwalla: Canelo came out quickly and threw plenty of punches in the center of the ring. GGG came back with a strong uppercut and added a right hook seconds later. Canelo returned fire with a hook of his own. The two were forehead to forehead before Alvarez unleashed a quick combo. Golovkin kept smothering Canelo, giving him no breathing room. A big right hand from Canelo drove GGG’s head back. But Golovkin still pressed forward with punches and plenty of pressure.
Muehlhausen: This is so puzzling because Alvarez begins every round being the aggressor, and then after about 45-60 seconds, Golovkin takes over. Each snapped the other’s head back with a right hand. Alvarez connected on a nice combination in the last 20 seconds to give himself some momentum heading into the 10th round.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: Canelo 10-9 (87-84 GGG)
Lelinwalla: GGG 10-9 (88-83 GGG)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (88-83 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (88-83 Canelo)
Moretti: GGG 10-9 (88-83 GGG)
Trella: GGG 10-9 (87-84 GGG)
Round 10
Hale: Another fast and sustained attack from Canelo to open the round. But, like every other round, Canelo didn’t close the round nearly as strong and allowed GGG to control the final two minutes with the pinpoint jab and pressured assault.
Lelinwalla: Golovkin landed some hard shots and tried to walk down Canelo, but Alvarez landed a hard left of his own. Plenty of fire from both, but Canelo took this one.
Muehlhausen: The most exciting round of the fight. Alvarez came out like a man who knows he has to pick it up. He came out and showed that much-needed urgency with blistering combinations, landing a straight right hand to rock Golovkin. Alvarez looked exhausted heading into the final minute, but found another gear in the final minute of the round and hit Golovkin with a couple of hard right hands. He’s back in the fight. Let’s see if he can continue the momentum.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: GGG 10-9 (97-93 GGG)
Lelinwalla: Canelo 10-9 (97-93 GGG)
Muehlhausen: Canelo 10-9 (97-93 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (98-92 Canelo)
Moretti: Canelo 10-9 (97-93 GGG)
Trella: Canelo 10-9 (96-94 GGG)
Round 11
Hale: A flip on the first 10 rounds where GGG started strong but it was Canelo who found the burst of energy in the middle of the round. A few hard right hands landed clean. GGG landed a very hard right hand and uppercut, but Canelo’s activity squeezed out yet another round that was too close to call.
Lelinwalla: Canelo with a right hand that landed. He assessed and landed another right for good measure. Right hand by Golovkin landed, as he gave chase to Canelo. Relentless pressure from GGG, but Canelo had just enough counter punching and offense to take the round.
Muehlhausen: The hardest round to score so far because both guys had their moments of excellence in landing hard power shots. It was surprising that Alvarez didn’t come out with more aggression knowing where things stand. Golovkin has done a great job of cutting the ring off and not letting Alvarez reset in the middle. He’s keeping things where he wants them and forcing Alvarez to fight off the back foot. Alvarez needs a stoppage to win.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: Canelo 10-9 (106-103 GGG)
Lelinwalla: Canelo 10-9 (106-103 GGG)
Muehlhausen: GGG 10-9 (107-102 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (108-101 Canelo)
Moretti: Canelo 10-9 (106-103 GGG)
Trella: Canelo 10-9 (105-104 GGG)
Round 12
Hale: Canelo started the round like a fighter desperate to win and landed some hard shots in the first minute. Canelo put together punches extremely well, but GGG refused to back up and plowed forward. But this is the first round that Canelo has clearly won.
Lelinwalla: Canelo landed a right and then dug into the body with a pounding uppercut moments later. But again, GGG applied pressure, cutting off the ring. Canelo finally brought the action to the middle of the ring and pounded the body, to which GGG nodded off. That’s it.
Muehlhausen: Where was this Canelo Alvarez in the previous round? He came out, established the middle of the ring, and blistered Golovkin with body shots, punches to the heads and combinations. Too little, too late, though.
DAZN News Judges
Hale: Canelo 10-9 (115-113 GGG)
Lelinwalla: Canelo 10-9 (115-113 GGG)
Muehlhausen: Canelo 10-9 (116-112 GGG)
Ringside Judges
Byrd: Canelo 10-9 (118-110 Canelo)
Moretti: Canelo 10-9 (115-113 GGG)
Trella: Canelo 10-9 (114-114)
Canelo-GGG 1 scoring analysis
All three of the DAZN judges and ringside judge Dave Moretti favored Golovkin, while judge Don Trella saw it even. It’s hard to explain the rationale behind Byrd’s wide scorecard in favor of Canelo. According to Byrd, Golovkin only won the fourth and seventh rounds. While many of these rounds were nip and tuck throughout, the common theme for every judge outside of Byrd is that Golovkin controlled much of the fight in rounds 3-9. But it was also an obvious assessment that Canelo closed strong in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds.
Both the ringside judges and DAZN News judges unanimously scored the final round for Canelo, along with the second round, while Golovkin unanimously took the fourth round. However, if Byrd is removed from the equation, Golovkin unanimously took the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds. No matter how many ways you slice it, the fight was close. But it appears that there were more clear rounds for Golovkin than there were for Canelo.
A constant theme was Canelo started most rounds quickly but was thwarted by Golovkin’s methodical approach, which was fueled by applying pressure with a stiff jab and coming forward. Golovkin proved to be the busier of the two fighters, landing 218 of 703 punches while Canelo came up short by landing 169 of 505 punches. Although it’s difficult to use CompuBox to score individual rounds, many of the rounds found Golovkin throwing and landing more punches than Canelo.
According to the DAZN News panel and judge Dave Moretti, this should have been a fight that Golovkin won. A split draw result might have been controversial, but there’s no doubt that the fight was close. The only real robbery came courtesy of Byrd’s ridiculous scorecard.
Inspired by the five-year anniversary of Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, here are six big fights fans had to wait for.
When it comes to whetting the appetite for the big event through a combination of chicanery, politicking and delaying tactics, boxing is a sport in a league of its own.
But, while most leading promoters view their abilities to let an anticipated bout “marinate” as something akin to an art, frustration among fans generally sets in long before the fights they want to happen come to fruition.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s unanimous decision over Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas five years ago on May 2 is a case in point.
Talk of pound-for-pound king Mayweather taking on Pacquiao first emerged when the Filipino sensation jumped two weight classes to batter a shopworn Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008. The intervening period did Pacquiao and the sport itself few favors.
As the list below shows, it takes a special fight to handle the weight of such expectations.
Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali I (March 8, 1971)
Joe Frazier scored a memorable knockdown of Muhammad Ali in their first fight. AFP via Getty Images
We can’t really blame promoters for the wait for this one, as Ali endured a forced 3½-year ring absence following his refusal to be drafted into the U.S. Army. In his absence, Frazier became a formidable heavyweight champion in his own right and, four years on from his previous title defense, Ali had the chance to regain his title at Madison Square Garden.
Was it worth the wait?
Absolutely. It takes a special fight to live up to or even surpass the promotional banner of “The Fight of the Century.” This was special. Ali’s quicksilver skills were on display early on but Frazier was typically unrelenting and turned the tide on “The Greatest.” A signature left hook shook Ali to his boots in Round 11 and another put him on the seat of his shorts during a dramatic final round. Frazier won a unanimous points verdict and the most riveting rivalry in boxing history was on the road to the gripping and horrifying brutality of its final act in Manila.
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Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns (April 15, 1985)
Marvin Hagler (right) and Thomas Hearns gave fans a classic in 1985. AP Photo
Middleweight king Hagler was slated to face Hearns three years earlier before the latter suffered a hand injury. A delay became a cancellation, something that left simmering animosity within Hagler. That was stoked by a press tour of 21 cities to promote “The War.” Enough was enough and, when the first bell sounded at Caesars Palace, the two men promptly set about trying to take each other’s heads off.
Was it worth the wait?
Yes, yes and thrice yes. The eight minutes of unruly mayhem Hagler and Hearns shared together are frequently cited as the best fight of all time and serve as a barometer against which all other fights are measured. The first round remains scarcely believable as both men unloaded a torrent of heavy shots. Both were hurt, Hagler was cut badly, but the exertions took more out of Hearns, who was unable to beat the count when “Marvelous” deposited his exhausted frame on the canvas a minute into Round 3.
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Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson (June 8, 2002)
Lennox Lewis (left) had no trouble taking out Mike Tyson in 2002. AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill
After sparring as teenagers, Lewis was unlikely to have anticipated both he and Tyson would be approaching 40 by the time they met in a professional ring. But the Briton’s first reign as heavyweight champion coincided with Tyson’s prison sentence for rape while Lewis won the title for a second time against an Evander Holyfield. Throw in the fact that the fighters were on either side of the HBO and Showtime pay-per-view divide, Lewis’ shock loss to Hasim Rahman and Tyson biting his foe at the initial media event and it’s a wonder their Memphis meeting ever came to pass.
Was it worth the wait?
Lewis will certainly think so because it left him emphatically as the last man standing from a great heavyweight era, with nothing left to prove. However, Tyson was a far cry from the “Baddest Man on the Planet” by this stage and offered little after a moderately encouraging first round. There was even a sense of Lewis propping him up until the Round 8 finale to prolong the punishment. In hindsight, Lewis scrambling through adversity against a prime Vitali Klitschko the next time out stands as a better achievement. Tyson was on his way to back-to-back losses against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride and a sorry career end.
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Bernard Hopkins vs. Roy Jones Jr. (April 3, 2010)
Neither Bernard Hopkins (left) nor Roy Jones Jr. was at his best in their rematch. AP Photo / Isaac Brekken
Waiting 17 years and the duration of a record-breaking run as middleweight champion for revenge would drive most men insane. Hopkins is not most men. During their initial fight in 1993, Jones befuddled him over 12 rounds. Both would go on to achieve greatness but stay away from one another’s orbits for almost two decades.
Was it worth the wait?
Like Lewis, Hopkins took huge satisfaction from this redemptive triumph. But the wily veteran’s age-defying exploits at the end of his career were often more enjoyable on paper than they were in the ring. A defensive master who frustrated the best, Hopkins in his 40s was never particularly easy on the eye. And while the Philadelphia great extended his peak impressively, Jones’ best days were far back in the rearview mirror. On either side of this fractious, foul-stained encounter, he was knocked out by Danny Green and Denis Lebedev.
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao (May 2, 2015)
Manny Pacquiao (left) and Floyd Mayweather served up a dud in 2015. AP Photo / John Locher, File
As the sport’s biggest draw, Mayweather was a master at making sure he fought the best on his terms at a time of his choosing. Did the Pacquiao who scythed through Ricky Hatton and beat up Miguel Cotto in 2009 represent too much of a risk? Nine fights and five years later, “Pacman” was yet to record another stoppage and had been brutally knocked out by his nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. The Money Team was ready to do business.
Was it worth the wait?
Mayweather was truly masterful here, perplexing Pacquiao and running out a clear winner. However, a brilliant performance does not necessarily make for a brilliant contest — a near constant during Mayweather’s peerless late career. The prospect of Pacquiao throwing fewer punches than his rival would have been unfathomable five years earlier, when this contest would have been far more competitive and rewarding.
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Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez (Sept. 16, 2017)
Canelo Alvarez (left) and Gennadiy Golovkin gave fans a night to remember in their first fight.(AP Photo / John Locher
Mayweather’s astute timing of when to box an opponent was also evident when he schooled a greenhorn Alvarez in 2013. The Mexican pretender to his pound-for-pound crown was paying attention. Middleweight title wins against Cotto and Amir Khan came at catch weights below the 160-pound limit before he stepped down a division to dethrone Liam Smith as opposed to facing Golovkin, who was busy standing a succession of full-fledged middleweights on their heads. After an all-Mexican grudge match against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the time was right.
Was it worth the wait?
Yes. A big drama show! Canelo and GGG served up 12 rounds of high-skilled, pulsating action and soaked up one another’s best shots, a particular novelty for any Golovkin opponent. Few doubted the Kazakhstani superstar had done enough to take the verdict on the cards but a split decision draw meant they were obliged to reconvene in Las Vegas a year later. That time another disputed decision in an even better fight went Alvarez’s way, and a third encounter is in the works.
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss the Alvarez-Golovkin III weight issue.
Canelo Alvarez has fought in different divisions in each of his last three fights: in order, 168, 160 and 175 pounds. Gennadiy Golovkin arranged a catch weight of 164 for his penultimate fight and then went down to 160 for his last outing.
If they were to meet a third time, what would be the ideal weight for both of them?
Their first two fights took place at 160. If they settle upon that weight, they would unify three of the four major middleweight titles. However, somewhere between 160 and 168 might make more sense at this point in their careers.
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora dive into the Alvarez-Golovkin III weight discussion.
DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss whether Gennadiy Golovkin was robbed in his two fights with Canelo Alvarez.
Abel Sanchez, Gennadiy Golovkin’s former trainer, recently said that Triple-G should’ve been awarded victories in both his fights with Canelo Alvarez.
The first fight, in 2017, was scored a split draw; Alvarez won the second the following year by a majority decision.
Many observers agree with Sanchez on the first fight, as most of those at ringside had Golovkin winning a competitive fight. Some also scored the second fight for Triple-G.
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora reveal how they saw the two Alvarez-Golovkin meetings amid talk of a third fight between the rivals.
What impact would taking interim fights have on Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin? Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora answer that question.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has floated a plan to have Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin fight for a third time in December.
Alvarez would first face Billy Joe Saunders in the fall and Golovkin would defend his title against mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta around the same time.
The rivals would then meet again before the end of the year.
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora ask the question: What impact would taking interim fights have on Alvarez and Golovkin?
Trainer Abel Sanchez believes Gennadiy Golovkin, his former protege, would defeat Canelo Alvarez in a third fight.
Most observers seem to believe that Canelo Alvarez would win a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin fairly easily.
After all, Alvarez is 29 and his prime. Golovkin recently turned 38 and is coming off a victory over Sergey Derevyanchenko that was much closer – and taxing – than virtually everyone expected.
One man sees things differently: Abel Sanchez, Golvokin’s former trainer.
Sanchez was asked for a K.O. Artists Sports video how he thinks a third Alvarez-Golovkin fight would play out. The two fought to a controversial draw the first time and Alvarez won a close decision in the rematch.
“He beat him twice already,” said Sanchez, who was in Triple-G’s corner in both fights. “In my opinion, he beat him twice already. So there’s no reason he can’t beat him a third time.”
Sanchez added one caveat: If possible, don’t stage the fight in Las Vegas. That’s where the first two took place.
“Hopefully, if he has anything to say about it, I would hope he doesn’t fight … in Vegas unless it’s just so lucrative for him that he can’t turn it down,” Sanchez said. “It seems Canelo has the advantage there. So I would hope that if they do fight, they would fight somewhere else and he beats him.
“I think [Golovkin] beats him again, just like the first two.”
Alvarez and Golovkin, who is now trained by Johnathon Banks, tentatively agreed to meet in September before the coronavirus pandemic took hold. It’s not clear when the fight would take place.
Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora discuss whether Gennadiy Golovkin should jump directly into a third fight with Canelo Alvarez.
Everyone is wondering who will fight whom when the coronavirus pandemic subsides. And rivals Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin are among the hottest subjects of speculation.
Will Alvarez still fight Billy Joe Saunders, his projected opponent for Cinco de Mayo before the COVID-19 threat? Or because he and Triple-G agreed to fight in September, will they go directly into that fight?
Or will Golovkin face mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta, as he had planned. Triple-G’s trainer, Johnathon Banks, has said he would prefer Golovkin take an interim fight before facing Alvarez a third time.
Alvarez and Golovkin drew in their first fight and Alvarez won the rematch by decision.
In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, DAZN commentators Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora let you know how they believe Triple-G should proceed.
Building greatness: Five fights that define Canelo Alvarez
Greatness is achieved step by painstaking step over a substantial period of time.
Few get there. And those who do can generally point to defining victories that served as those rare stepping stones that lead directly to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. All great fighters have that in common.
With that in mind, Boxing Junkie is initiating an occasional series called “Building Greatness,” in which we select a special fighter and provide five stepping-stone victories that demonstrated his greatest.
Our subject this week: Superstar Canelo Alvarez, who has become one of the greatest Mexican warriors of all time and probably the most-marketable non-heavyweight fighter in the world.
Here are five fights that helped define him:
AUSTIN TROUT
Date / site: April 20, 2013 / Alamodome, San Antonio Division: Junior middleweight Records: Alvarez 41-0-1; Trout 26-0 At stake: Title unification Result: Alvarez UD 12 (118-109, 115-112, 116-111) Background: This was Alvarez’s first significant challenge, unless you count a past-his-prime Shane Mosley two fights earlier. We don’t. Trout, 27, was an excellent all-around fighter at the peak of his abilities. Only four-plus months earlier he had made a big statement by easily outpointing future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto, an ominous sign for any opponent. And Alvarez was only 23. Well, the young Mexican, motivated by the fact Trout had beaten his brother Rigoberto to win the title, passed the test. Alvarez wasn’t as active as Trout but, boxing cleverly and economically, he made the most of his output in an entertaining fight. He landed 43 percent of his power shots, which is particularly impressive given Trout’s ability. Alvarez proved he could beat an elite opponent in his prime. “This is for my brother,” Alvarez said.
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ERISLANDY LARA
Date / site: July 12, 2014 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas Division: 155-pound catch weight Records: Alvarez 43-1-1; Lara 19-1-2 At stake: Nothing Result: Alvarez SD 12 (117-111, 115-113, 113-115) Background: Members of Alvarez’s team reportedly didn’t want this fight. He had lost badly to Floyd Mayweather 10 months earlier, a crazy 114-114 score aside. Lara was no Mayweather but his southpaw stance combined with unusual skills honed in the Cuban amateur system made life extremely difficult for his opponents. Still, Alvarez, obviously inspired by a challenge, demanded the fight and it was made. It wasn’t easy. Alvarez accused Lara of running; Lara would call it boxing. Either way, the rising Mexican star had trouble landing punches cleanly. He connected on only 23% of his shots. At the same time, he kept the pressure on Lara and was able to cut off the ring enough to win rounds. In the end, he escaped with a majority-decision victory that helped erase memories of the Mayweather fight. “I came to fight,” Alvarez said. “I didn’t come to run. You don’t win by running. You win by hitting.”
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GENNADIY GOLOVKIN II
Date / site: Dec. 6, 2008 / MGM Grand, Las Vegas Division: Middleweight Records: Alvarez 49-1-2; Golovkin 38-0-1 At stake: Golovkin’s titles Result: Alvarez MD 12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114) Background: The first Alvarez-Golovkin fight, which ended in a split draw, left a bad taste in the mouths of both fans and pundits who were convinced that Triple-G was robbed. Adalaide Byrd’s 118-110 score for Alvarez will live on in infamy. In other words, Alvarez had a lot to prove in the rematch. And he went after it, keeping pressure on his arch rival and often backing him up. Triple-G scored consistently with his formidable jab and was busier but Alvarez was more accurate with his punches and landed the more telling blows. In the end, we had another fight that could’ve gone either way. This time, Alvarez received the nod. And cries of foul play weren’t as vociferous. Alvarez demonstrated that he could make adjustments from one fight to the next and rise to the occasion. “He was the one who was backing up,” Alvarez said. “I feel satisfied because I gave a great fight. It was a clear victory.”
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DANNY JACOBS
Date / site: May 4, 2019 / T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas Division: Middleweight Records: Alvarez 51-1-2; Jacobs 35-2 At stake: Title unification Result: Alvarez UD 12 (116-112, 115-113, 115-113) Background: Alvarez had still not beaten an elite middleweight convincingly going into this fight. Yes, he rebounded from the controversial draw with Golovkin to win the rematch but doubts remained. Against Jacobs, Alvarez faced a big, strong, accomplished 160-pounder who had given Triple-G problems in defeat a few years earlier. This was a challenge. And, again, Alvarez overcame it. He had to work hard in a give-and-take fight but he gave an excellent all-around performance, combining accurate punching with his improving defensive skills to win the majority of rounds and the fight. Alvarez certainly didn’t dominate Jacobs but he demonstrated that even a well-schooled bigger man couldn’t beat him. “It was just what we thought,” Alvarez said. “We knew he was going to be a difficult fighter, but thank god we did things the right way.”
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SERGEY KOVALEV
Date / site: Nov. 2, 2019 Division: Light heavyweight Records: Alvarez 49-1-2; Kovalev 34-3-1 At stake: Kovalev’s title Result: Alvarez KO 11 Background: Yes, Kovalev had more trouble with relative novice Anthony Yarde than he should have in his previous fight. And, yes, he probably was in decline to some degree at 36. Still, it was a risk for Alvarez to move up two weight classes and take on the Russian. Kovalev at 70 percent was still a good fighter. And he was natural light heavyweight with light heavyweight power. Kovalev held his own for much of the fight, using his underappreciated skills to confound Alvarez. However, Alvarez gradually cut off the ring and broke down his naturally bigger opponent until the time came to take him out. A left hook, a big right and it over. Alvarez had beaten a proven 175-pounder and won a title in a third division. “I’m very thankful,” Alvarez said. “This is just a step in my career, in my history, and all I ask of you is to be patient because Canelo will make history. That’s a guarantee.”
