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LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin maintain that they have won each of their two middleweight title fights.
Alvarez believes that deep down Golovkin realizes that he lost their 12-round rematch in September 2018 at T-Mobile Arena. However, the Mexican superstar suspects that her longtime rival will never admit it.
Alvarez offered his take on his hotly contested 12-round fights during an interview with a small group of reporters Tuesday at the MGM Grand after “big arrivals” for his third fight Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
“He knows he lost,” Alvarez said, “but he’ll never tell.”
Álvarez de Guadalajara (57-2-2, 39 KOs) officially won his second fight by majority decision. Judges Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld scored Alvarez the winner of their rematch 115-113, while judge Glenn Feldman tied the action, 114-114.
Though fan and media opinions vary regarding the outcome of their rematch, an aggressive Alvarez seemed more effective that night than he had during their opening 12-round round a year earlier at T-Mobile Arena. Alvarez feels he also defeated Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) in his first fight, but it resulted in what is considered a controversial split draw.
“I’m fine. I know I won both fights, not just one,” Alvarez said. “But look, when that kind of fight is close, people are always in [disagreement]. Some people will say: ‘He won’. Others say: ‘No, he won.’ Close fights, but that’s good for boxing.”
Judge Adalaide Byrd infamously listed Alvarez as the winner of 10 rounds when they first fought, 118-110. Moretti credited Golovkin for a 115-113 victory in September 2017, but judge Don Trella scored a draw, 114-114.
Alvarez acknowledges that Byrd’s scorecard, commonly considered one of the worst in recent boxing history, has drawn the ire of most reasonable boxing observers. However, the four-division champion still feels he beat Kazakhstan’s Golovkin by a closer score.
“Maybe that’s it [Byrd’s scorecard], but I can’t control that, can I?” Alvarez said. “It is what it is.”
Although his first two fights were highly competitive, Alvarez says he has “nothing” to prove in this late third matchup.
“I just want to get back in the winner’s circle,” Alvarez said, “and that’s it.”
The Nevada State Athletic Commission has assigned Moretti of Nevada, Weisfeld of New Jersey and David Sutherland of Oklahoma to judge this 12-round, 168-pound championship fight between Alvarez, 32, and Golovkin, 40. DAZN will distribute his fight for the IBF, the WBA, the WBA and the IBF Alvarez. The WBC and WBO super middleweight titles as the main event of a pay-per-view show that will cost subscribers $64.99 and non-subscribers $84.99.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
