Also on the card: Jesse Rodriguez vs. Israel Gonzalez, junior bantamweights (for Rodriguez’s WBC title); Ali Akhmedov vs. Gabriel Rosado, super middleweights; Austin Williams vs. Kieron Conway, middleweights; Diego Pacheco vs. Enrique Collazo, super middleweights
Prediction: Alvarez UD
Background: The third fight between these rivals is four years coming. They fought to a disputed draw in 2017 and Alvarez won the rematch by a close decision the following year, after which the Mexican star indicated that the rivalry was “finished business.” However, fans have always embraced the idea of a third fight and DAZN – with which both men are affiliated – has pushed for it. So here we are. Alvarez is coming off his first loss since he fell to Floyd Mayweather in 2013, a unanimous-decision upset against 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol in May that knocked him out of the top spot of most pound-for-pound lists. He’s moving back down to 168 for the fourth defense of his titles and a more-winnable matchup against a 40-year-old moving up from 160 for the fight. Golovkin began to show signs of decline in a close decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in October 2019. He subsequently stopped Kamil Szeremeta and Ryota Murata (for two titles this past April) but he didn’t convince many observers that he had regained his old form. Of course, this is a golden opportunity for Triple-G to prove everyone wrong. Also on the card, talented “Bam” Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) of San Antonio defends his title against Mexican Israel Gonzalez (28-4-1, 11 KOs) after spectacular back-to-back victories over Carlos Cuadras(UD) and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (TKO 8) this year.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Bryan Acosta vs. Jon Martinez, featherweights, Toronto (DAZN)
FRIDAY
Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Carlos Takam, heavyweights, Montreal (ESPN+)
Luis Torres vs. Cesar Gutierrez, lightweights, Obregon, Mexico (Canela TV)
Also on the card: Jesse Rodriguez vs. Israel Gonzalez, junior bantamweights (for Rodriguez’s WBC title); Ali Akhmedov vs. Gabriel Rosado, super middleweights; Austin Williams vs. Kieron Conway, middleweights; Diego Pacheco vs. Enrique Collazo, super middleweights
Prediction: Alvarez UD
Background: The third fight between these rivals is four years coming. They fought to a disputed draw in 2017 and Alvarez won the rematch by a close decision the following year, after which the Mexican star indicated that the rivalry was “finished business.” However, fans have always embraced the idea of a third fight and DAZN – with which both men are affiliated – has pushed for it. So here we are. Alvarez is coming off his first loss since he fell to Floyd Mayweather in 2013, a unanimous-decision upset against 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol in May that knocked him out of the top spot of most pound-for-pound lists. He’s moving back down to 168 for the fourth defense of his titles and a more-winnable matchup against a 40-year-old moving up from 160 for the fight. Golovkin began to show signs of decline in a close decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in October 2019. He subsequently stopped Kamil Szeremeta and Ryota Murata (for two titles this past April) but he didn’t convince many observers that he had regained his old form. Of course, this is a golden opportunity for Triple-G to prove everyone wrong. Also on the card, talented “Bam” Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) of San Antonio defends his title against Mexican Israel Gonzalez (28-4-1, 11 KOs) after spectacular back-to-back victories over Carlos Cuadras(UD) and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (TKO 8) this year.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Bryan Acosta vs. Jon Martinez, featherweights, Toronto (DAZN)
FRIDAY
Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Carlos Takam, heavyweights, Montreal (ESPN+)
Luis Torres vs. Cesar Gutierrez, lightweights, Obregon, Mexico (Canela TV)
La tercera pelea entre estos dos gladiadores será la definitiva y la que esclarezca el nivel real en el que se encuentra Canelo
Gennady Golovkin no se guardó nada y arremetió contra Canelo Álvarez en una entrevista asegurando que el mexicano ya perdió confianza en el cuadrilátero.
Para Golovkin el Canelo ha perdido confianza y poder cuando esta en el ring y un boxeador de su categoría tendría que ir en un nivel ascendente y no hacia abajo como está sucediendo.
“Su comportamiento en conferencias de prensa muestra cuán inseguro es. Saco conclusiones basado en la primera conferencia. Su comportamiento fue diferente en la segunda, se vio ridículo”, señaló Golovkin.
La tercera pelea entre estos dos gladiadores será la definitiva y la que esclarezca el nivel real en el que se encuentra Canelo luego de sufrir apenas su segunda derrota en su carrera.
“Para un boxeador de este calibre, alguien que quiere ser grande, esto demuestra que todavía necesita crecer, necesita aprender mucho. Está muy lejos de ser el mejor. concluyó GGG.
Gennadiy Golovkin’s trainer, Johnathon Banks, said he’s ‘not worried’ about his fighter’s age (40) going into his fight with Canelo Alvarez.
One common theme going into the third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin on September 17 is Triple-G’s age, 40.
Of course, it’s natural to wonder whether Golovkin has declined, particularly because he has seemed at least somewhat vulnerable in recent fights. That’s why some believe Alvarez might blow out his rival after a disputed draw and close decision in Alvarez’s favor in their first two fights.
Golovkin’s trainer, Johnathon Banks, doesn’t see any reason to even go there.
“I think the only people that is worried about his age is the media,” Banks told reporters at a news conference in New York, according to BoxingScene.com. “I don’t even think the other opponents is even worried about his age. … I’m not worried about it. I worry about when I see the slow down. Then I will acknowledge it.
“But as of right now, as long as he stays motivated and he’s working his butt off to accomplish the goal, I don’t see any reason to pull him back and start discussing how old he is and this and that.”
That doesn’t mean Banks believes that Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) will be exactly the same fighter who tangled with Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) in 2017 and 2018. The same goes for Alvarez, who will be 32 when they fight.
“Like I say, both fighters are different coming into this fight since four years ago when they fought,” Banks said. “I think both fighters are different and that will make it an even better fight.”
Alvarez will be defending his undisputed 168-pound championship against Golovkin. The Mexican star is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Dmitry Bivol in May, his first defeat since he was outpointed by Floyd Mayweather in 2013.
Golovkin, a reigning 160-pound titleholder, will be moving up in weight for the fight. He has defeated Steve Rolls, Sergey Derevyanchenko, Kamil Szeremeta and Ryoto Murata (to unify two titles) since the loss to Alvarez.
Gennadiy Golovkin’s trainer, Johnathon Banks, said he’s ‘not worried’ about his fighter’s age (40) going into his fight with Canelo Alvarez.
One common theme going into the third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin on September 17 is Triple-G’s age, 40.
Of course, it’s natural to wonder whether Golovkin has declined, particularly because he has seemed at least somewhat vulnerable in recent fights. That’s why some believe Alvarez might blow out his rival after a disputed draw and close decision in Alvarez’s favor in their first two fights.
Golovkin’s trainer, Johnathon Banks, doesn’t see any reason to even go there.
“I think the only people that is worried about his age is the media,” Banks told reporters at a news conference in New York, according to BoxingScene.com. “I don’t even think the other opponents is even worried about his age. … I’m not worried about it. I worry about when I see the slow down. Then I will acknowledge it.
“But as of right now, as long as he stays motivated and he’s working his butt off to accomplish the goal, I don’t see any reason to pull him back and start discussing how old he is and this and that.”
That doesn’t mean Banks believes that Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) will be exactly the same fighter who tangled with Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) in 2017 and 2018. The same goes for Alvarez, who will be 32 when they fight.
“Like I say, both fighters are different coming into this fight since four years ago when they fought,” Banks said. “I think both fighters are different and that will make it an even better fight.”
Alvarez will be defending his undisputed 168-pound championship against Golovkin. The Mexican star is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Dmitry Bivol in May, his first defeat since he was outpointed by Floyd Mayweather in 2013.
Golovkin, a reigning 160-pound titleholder, will be moving up in weight for the fight. He has defeated Steve Rolls, Sergey Derevyanchenko, Kamil Szeremeta and Ryoto Murata (to unify two titles) since the loss to Alvarez.
Good, bad, worse: The remarkable emergence of Jesse Rodriguez and Canelo’s ire.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Jesse Rodriquez has said repeatedly that his goal is to be a special fighter, not an average one. Well, there’s nothing average about this boxing savant.
Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai have been 115-pound stalwarts for a decade. The naturally smaller Rodriguez not only beat them, he dominated them.
How did this unfold?
Luck played a key role. Rodriguez was scheduled to take part in a 108-pound fight on the Cuadras-Sor Rungvisai card on Feb. 5. When Sor Rungvisai pulled out because of illness, Rodriguez agreed to move up two divisions to 115 on five days’ notice and stunned everyone outside his own circle by winning a wide decision and the WBC’s secondary title.
Rodriguez would’ve have been justified had he moved back down weight. Instead, he made the decision to defend his belt against a powerful puncher who has victories over Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez (twice). The result? Rodriguez outclassed him, baffling the Thai star with his elite technical ability and then taking him out in the eighth round.
Sor Rungvisai hadn’t been stopped since his second pro fight, in 2009. Future Hall of Famers Estrada and Gonzalez couldn’t do that.
I hesitate to anoint Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) the next great thing because he’s had only 16 pro fights and both Cuadras (33) and Sor Rungvisai (35) are beyond their primes. At the same time, he has aced the eye test and won two important fights back to back.
One person who hasn’t been surprised by the events of the past four-plus months is Robert Garcia, Rodriguez’s veteran trainer.
“Look man, we know what Bam is all about, we know his talent,” Garcia said on a Little Giant Boxing video. “… So when they offered us a fight, I never even doubted that we’d be able to beat him. … At the end, everybody ended up seeing pound-for-pound one of the best in the world. And he’s only 22. He’s a baby.”
A bad ass baby.
BAD
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai couldn’t solve Jesse Rodriguez. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
One had to feel for Sor Rungvisai (50-6-1, 43 KOs) when it became clear that his mission was impossible on Saturday.
He overcame a 1-3-1 start to his career to become a two-time junior bantamweight champion and a potential Hall of Famer. He lost a technical decision to Cuadras, split two fights with Estrada and has the two victories over “Chocolatito”, the second a brutal fourth-round knockout that lifted him to stardom.
I was at that fight, which took place in what is now Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. I left the arena in awe of Sor Rungvisai, who has rare punching power for a man his size. He, too, was special.
And he seemed to be on track to get a shot at the winner of an anticipated third fight between Estrada (the WBC’s “franchise” champion) and Gonzalez, which could happen later this year. All he had to do was beat Cuadras in February and then wait.
Well, we know what happened. He had to pull out of the Cuadras fight, which opened the door for Rodriguez’s emergence. And then he suffered his most thorough defeat since the early years of his career.
The look on his face between the seventh round, in which he was knocked down, and the eighth said a lot. He seemed to be thinking, “Oh man, what have I gotten myself into here? What do I do?” He was essentially helpless by that point, a beaten man.
That was difficult to see given his enduring place among the top 115-pounders and his pride.
If we’ve seen the last of him, he certainly should be pleased with his career. The two titles, the victories over his rivals, the fact he remained an elite 115-pounder for more than a decade. All that made him one of the greatest Thai fighters of all time, which is saying something given the boxing tradition in that country.
Sor Rungvisai simply ran into a juggernaut on Saturday. In the end, with all his accomplishments, he won’t be judged by this one setback.
WORSE
Canelo Alvarez is a sensitive guy.
He didn’t like the fact that Sept. 17 opponent Gennadiy Golovkin called him a drug chat after Alvarez failed a drug test before their second fight in 2018, which resulted in Alvarez’s suspension and delayed the bout.
Alvarez blamed the positive test on tainted meat but athletes are responsible for everything that goes into their bodies, which lends credence to Triple-G’s comments.
They seemed to settle their differences when they shook hands after their second fight but, obviously, that wasn’t the case.
Alvarez didn’t like the fact that Golovkin accused Alvarez of avoiding him after that second meeting, a close points victory for the Mexican that followed a draw the previous year. Golovkin arguably earned a third fight. And Alvarez did fight mostly lesser opponents between 2018 and his loss to Dmitry Bivol in May.
Still, Alvarez called Golovkin an “a—hole” at the kickoff news conference. And he vowed to retire the popular 40-year-old Kazakhstani star by knockout, which was a bit harsh given how competitive their first two fights were and Triple-G’s accomplishments over his decorated career.
Maybe Alvarez is just trying to sell the fight, which might need a nudge given the perception that Golovkin is in decline. Or maybe Alvarez is just revealing thin skin, as Golovkin suggested.
“If he says he still has something against me,” Golovkin said, “… that’s his problem, not mine.”
RABBIT PUNCHES
Unified junior featherweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8 KOs) looked sharp in his defense against veteran Ronny Rios on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai undercard, particularly given what he said was a lead-hand injury early in the fight. The southpaw from Uzbekistan outboxed and outworked a good fighter before finally stopping him in the 12th and final round. I don’t think he will beat Stephen Fulton if they meet for all the 122-pound titles but he’s good enough to push his rival. And kudos to Rios (33-4, 16 KOs) on a good career. The Southern California fighter performed on a high level for a long time. … Undisputed welterweight champ Jessica McCaskill (12-2, 5 KOs) isn’t much of a technician but she’s athletic and has good boxing instincts, which has been enough to make her a star in the women’s ranks. She blew out Alma Ibarra (10-2, 5 KOs) of Mexico on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card, stopping her after three one-sided rounds. McCaskill has come a long way since losing a wide decision to Katie Taylor in 2017. She has won seven in a row since, including two victories over future Hall of Famer Cecilia Braekhus. I hope McCaskill gets the fight she wants, a showdown with 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron. … Skillful featherweight contender Raymond Ford (12-0-1, 6 KOs) easily outpointed Richard Medina (13-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card. Ford is going to be extremely difficult to beat if he stays focused and avoids firefights. He’s that good when he’s at his best.
Good, bad, worse: The remarkable emergence of Jesse Rodriguez and Canelo’s ire.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Jesse Rodriquez has said repeatedly that his goal is to be a special fighter, not an average one. Well, there’s nothing average about this boxing savant.
Cuadras and Sor Rungvisai have been 115-pound stalwarts for a decade. The naturally smaller Rodriguez not only beat them, he dominated them.
How did this unfold?
Luck played a key role. Rodriguez was scheduled to take part in a 108-pound fight on the Cuadras-Sor Rungvisai card on Feb. 5. When Sor Rungvisai pulled out because of illness, Rodriguez agreed to move up two divisions to 115 on five days’ notice and stunned everyone outside his own circle by winning a wide decision and the WBC’s secondary title.
Rodriguez would’ve have been justified had he moved back down weight. Instead, he made the decision to defend his belt against a powerful puncher who has victories over Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez (twice). The result? Rodriguez outclassed him, baffling the Thai star with his elite technical ability and then taking him out in the eighth round.
Sor Rungvisai hadn’t been stopped since his second pro fight, in 2009. Future Hall of Famers Estrada and Gonzalez couldn’t do that.
I hesitate to anoint Rodriguez (16-0, 11 KOs) the next great thing because he’s had only 16 pro fights and both Cuadras (33) and Sor Rungvisai (35) are beyond their primes. At the same time, he has aced the eye test and won two important fights back to back.
One person who hasn’t been surprised by the events of the past four-plus months is Robert Garcia, Rodriguez’s veteran trainer.
“Look man, we know what Bam is all about, we know his talent,” Garcia said on a Little Giant Boxing video. “… So when they offered us a fight, I never even doubted that we’d be able to beat him. … At the end, everybody ended up seeing pound-for-pound one of the best in the world. And he’s only 22. He’s a baby.”
A bad ass baby.
BAD
Srisaket Sor Rungvisai couldn’t solve Jesse Rodriguez. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
One had to feel for Sor Rungvisai (50-6-1, 43 KOs) when it became clear that his mission was impossible on Saturday.
He overcame a 1-3-1 start to his career to become a two-time junior bantamweight champion and a potential Hall of Famer. He lost a technical decision to Cuadras, split two fights with Estrada and has the two victories over “Chocolatito”, the second a brutal fourth-round knockout that lifted him to stardom.
I was at that fight, which took place in what is now Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. I left the arena in awe of Sor Rungvisai, who has rare punching power for a man his size. He, too, was special.
And he seemed to be on track to get a shot at the winner of an anticipated third fight between Estrada (the WBC’s “franchise” champion) and Gonzalez, which could happen later this year. All he had to do was beat Cuadras in February and then wait.
Well, we know what happened. He had to pull out of the Cuadras fight, which opened the door for Rodriguez’s emergence. And then he suffered his most thorough defeat since the early years of his career.
The look on his face between the seventh round, in which he was knocked down, and the eighth said a lot. He seemed to be thinking, “Oh man, what have I gotten myself into here? What do I do?” He was essentially helpless by that point, a beaten man.
That was difficult to see given his enduring place among the top 115-pounders and his pride.
If we’ve seen the last of him, he certainly should be pleased with his career. The two titles, the victories over his rivals, the fact he remained an elite 115-pounder for more than a decade. All that made him one of the greatest Thai fighters of all time, which is saying something given the boxing tradition in that country.
Sor Rungvisai simply ran into a juggernaut on Saturday. In the end, with all his accomplishments, he won’t be judged by this one setback.
WORSE
Canelo Alvarez is a sensitive guy.
He didn’t like the fact that Sept. 17 opponent Gennadiy Golovkin called him a drug chat after Alvarez failed a drug test before their second fight in 2018, which resulted in Alvarez’s suspension and delayed the bout.
Alvarez blamed the positive test on tainted meat but athletes are responsible for everything that goes into their bodies, which lends credence to Triple-G’s comments.
They seemed to settle their differences when they shook hands after their second fight but, obviously, that wasn’t the case.
Alvarez didn’t like the fact that Golovkin accused Alvarez of avoiding him after that second meeting, a close points victory for the Mexican that followed a draw the previous year. Golovkin arguably earned a third fight. And Alvarez did fight mostly lesser opponents between 2018 and his loss to Dmitry Bivol in May.
Still, Alvarez called Golovkin an “a—hole” at the kickoff news conference. And he vowed to retire the popular 40-year-old Kazakhstani star by knockout, which was a bit harsh given how competitive their first two fights were and Triple-G’s accomplishments over his decorated career.
Maybe Alvarez is just trying to sell the fight, which might need a nudge given the perception that Golovkin is in decline. Or maybe Alvarez is just revealing thin skin, as Golovkin suggested.
“If he says he still has something against me,” Golovkin said, “… that’s his problem, not mine.”
RABBIT PUNCHES
Unified junior featherweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8 KOs) looked sharp in his defense against veteran Ronny Rios on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai undercard, particularly given what he said was a lead-hand injury early in the fight. The southpaw from Uzbekistan outboxed and outworked a good fighter before finally stopping him in the 12th and final round. I don’t think he will beat Stephen Fulton if they meet for all the 122-pound titles but he’s good enough to push his rival. And kudos to Rios (33-4, 16 KOs) on a good career. The Southern California fighter performed on a high level for a long time. … Undisputed welterweight champ Jessica McCaskill (12-2, 5 KOs) isn’t much of a technician but she’s athletic and has good boxing instincts, which has been enough to make her a star in the women’s ranks. She blew out Alma Ibarra (10-2, 5 KOs) of Mexico on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card, stopping her after three one-sided rounds. McCaskill has come a long way since losing a wide decision to Katie Taylor in 2017. She has won seven in a row since, including two victories over future Hall of Famer Cecilia Braekhus. I hope McCaskill gets the fight she wants, a showdown with 140-pound titleholder Chantelle Cameron. … Skillful featherweight contender Raymond Ford (12-0-1, 6 KOs) easily outpointed Richard Medina (13-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Rodriguez-Sor Rungvisai card. Ford is going to be extremely difficult to beat if he stays focused and avoids firefights. He’s that good when he’s at his best.
La tercera pelea de la trilogía de Canelo-GGG será el 17 de septiembre en Las Vegas. Sin embargo, esta no es solo una pelea más para Canelo.
La tercera pelea de la trilogía Canelo-GGG se llevará a cabo el 17 de septiembre en Las Vegas. Esta es la pelea que muchos fanáticos del boxeo han esperado con ansias desde la segunda pelea en 2018.
La primera pelea en 2017 terminó en empate. Luego, Canelo Álvarez ganó la revancha en 2018.
Ahora, Canelo está cansado de que Gennady Golovkin dé a entender que el mexicano ha estado evitando la tercera pelea durante los últimos cuatro años.
“Es dos personas diferentes. Pretende ser un buen hombre, pero no lo es, es un imbécil”, dijo Álvarez sobre Gennady Golovkin.
Canelo Alvarez on Gennady Golovkin: "He's two different people. He pretends to be a nice guy, but he's not, he's an asshole."
Photos: Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin kickoff news conference.
Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion, and Gennadiy Golovkin were face to face at a news conference Friday for the first time since their second fight in 2018.
They will meet one more time on pay-per-view Sept. 17 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Here are images from the news conference, which was held at Hollywood Legion Theater in Los Angeles. All photos by Melina Pizano of Matchroom Boxing.
Gennadiy Golovkin stopped Ryota Murata on Saturday to set up a third fight with Canelo Alvarez.
Gennadiy Golovkin can still bring it at 40.
Triple-G endured some difficult moments but gradually broke down and then stopped Ryota Murata in nine rounds to unify two middleweight titles Saturday in Saitama, Japan.
The victory sets up a third fight with rival Canelo Alvarez in September, although we’ll have to see what happens when the Mexican star fights light heavyweight titleholder Dmitry Bivol on May 7.
Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) had several challenges to overcome going into the fight. He turned the big 4-0 on Friday, he hadn’t fought in 16 months (Murata was out for 28) and he was fighting on Murata’s home turf.
And it looked in the early rounds as if Golovkin might not prevail. Both fighters had success in back-and-forth action but the aggressive Murata (16-3, 13 KOs) had Golovkin backing up, a strange sight for those who have followed Triple-G’s career.
The Japanese fighter’s body work also got the attention of Golovkin, who seemed to wince several times when Murata landed shots to the gut.
However, early in Round 6 Golovkin connected on a right hand that knocked the mouthguard out of Murata’s mouth. He wasn’t hurt significantly but that seemed to initiate his downfall, as Golovkin began to land hard punches at a higher rate.
Murata never gave up and had some effective flurries but he couldn’t keep Golovkin off of him and his body could no longer take the punishment.
Finally, Golovkin hurt Murata with the first punch in Round 9 – a straight right hand – and, sensing an opportunity to end the fight, followed with a barrage of accurate shots. Murata fought back bravely but a huge right hand knocked him to all fours and a cornerman threw in the towel, ending the fight.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:11 of Round 9.
Golovkin should now get his long-awaited third fight with Alvarez, against whom he fought to a disputed draw in 2017 and lost a close decision in 2018.
No deal is in place but the sides have made it known they want the fight to happen. It’s not clear how a loss or injury against Bivol might affect Alvarez-Golovkin III.
But Golovkin certainly did his part to make the showdown happen.
