In the post-Canelo v. GGG 3 Sack from this Thursday, we only got questions and comments related to Canelo. So expect a hint of cinnamon with my salty load of wisdom this week.
They are so good!
Hi, Pablo!
First time writer, here. Devoted reader, too. Thank you for sharing your good work with us week after week.
Let me bias myself, first. I am a huge fan of Canelo (and GGG). I don’t know if I can be objective. Having said that, I think you went too hard on them in your very good “notes from the underground” piece.
I will keep it very simple. In his last paragraph, he seems to berate them for the fact that there were never moments of life and death. I think that is a consequence of his greatness, not his “mediocrity” as boxing stars.
Do you agree?
— Carlos, from Hermosillo, Mexico
Hey Carlos.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to write.
You make an interesting point, but it would lend more credence to your theory if both of you had fought more complete and elite top talent. Golovkin, especially, has fought a succession of custom-built and outmatched opponents since, well, forever. The only true elite fighter on his résumé is Canelo and he failed to beat him in three tries. Alvarez has more depth on his résumé, but it’s true that the main elite-level foes are few and far between over the course of his career. And the fights he had against the elites were always cautious, close fights where they either beat him (Mayweather, Bivol) or he settled for sure wins on points. If Canelo and GGG dominated their opposition and were far better than almost everyone they faced, the black and white reality screams that it was because they almost always faced fighters at least a full level below them.
Ultimately, though, it’s all a moot point. Whether they were too good for everyone or faced inferior opponents, none found Barrera for their Morales or Pacquiao for their Marquez. So really, that litmus test that turns great fighters into legends never came. When they faced each other, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that neither had the next gear they could shift into. And at this point in their careers, they are highly unlikely to seek a decisive war or win one if they come across one.
the blanket of age
Magnetic P First, I hope all is well with you and the family. Second, I saw your article on G’s age and Notes from Boxing talking about G’s age. And as soon as the Camelot/GGG fight was over, the “G was old” security blankets were thrown everywhere. and there was the beating of Canelo. Canelo was accused of aging G. Even if he went that route, G STILL signed the contract. When contracts are signed, ALL excuses go out the door for me. Old vs. Young leaves too many doors open for the young fighter to go uncredited and the old man to get blankets under him. Your thoughts?
— Robert Elmore
Hello Roberto
If lazy thinking were rocket fuel, boxing media could launch to Mars and back. Most of the people setting the narratives in this sport are idiots who just don’t know what they’re looking at or committed fans trying to whitewash reality to fit their agendas. I’m still adamant that Golovkin is a very fresh 40-year-old and I think we’ll see if he fights again and crushes his usual (soft touch) level opponent.
And you are 100% right. If someone signs the contract and walks those ropes, there should be ZERO excuses.
Canelo-GGG was always going to be an unsatisfying mess, precisely because of the way the media and fans treat both fighters. Golovkin has always been pampered and Alvarez has always been hyper-scrutinized. Man-boys will always jump on each other to come up with excuses why Golovkin didn’t look great and/or reasons why Alvarez didn’t look as good as you might think. It’s a good thing no one with a boxing sense pays attention to those chumps anyway.
A perspective on the Canelo-GGG score
Let’s be realistic! Canelo faded after round 7. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s how I saw the fight.
After round 7, the only round Canelo won hands down was round 12. He had nothing in the tank during the championship rounds. Rounds 9, 10 and 11, GGG won hands down. Round 1 and round 8 could have gone either way. Canelo hands down won rounds 2-7.
I scored the fight 116-112 Canelo. I gave rounds GGG 8-11. If you look at rounds 9-11, it’s hard to make a convincing argument that Canelo won any of those rounds. But rounds 1 and 8 were a random round that could have gone either way.
Actually, it is not unreasonable that a judge gave GGG 5 rounds and Canelo 7. I am a huge fan of Canelo and support him every time he fights. However, going into round 12 in the back of my mind I am thinking if Canelo doesn’t win round 12 he will either get a draw or lose the fight.
I know that Canelo dominated the first part of the fight. But we can’t ignore his disappearance in the later rounds. I understand that round 1 is always a draw. So regardless of what happens between rounds 2 and 7, if you don’t dominate the championship rounds, expect something on the scorecards.
–Rahman nail
Hello Nail.
I had the fight to nil going into the ninth, although it could have been 7-1 if I had been somewhat generous with the first round. After that, I think I had three rounds to one for Golovkin. My score was 117-111, but I saw anything between 116-112 and 118-110 as acceptable. 115-113, to me, was a real stretch and something that required the judges to give Golovkin the full benefit of every doubt in every marginally close round. I just don’t see it. But the right man won. That’s something.
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