Saul “Canelo” Alvarez dominates Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin in the third fight of their trilogy. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom)
LAS VEGAS — You get the impression that Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin would chase each other through the depths of hell if they could. They bring out the best and the worst in each other. They became his last inquisitors.
They have made each other look vulnerable. They have made each other look majestic. They have forced each other to stretch the childlike wonder that drew them to boxing and rekindled the desire to rule as kings over all they see.
What no one saw was a resounding winner when Alvarez and Golovkin collided the previous two times.
They saw that Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena.
Álvarez-Golovkin will be placed in the historical context of the all-time great trilogies in boxing history featuring Ali-Frazier, Fury-Wilder and Gatti-Ward. But it is Alvarez’s name that will be placed on top thanks to a comfortable victory over the plucky 40-year-old power-puncher from Kazakhstan.
In doing so, Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) retains the IBF/WBC/WBO/WBA/Ring super middleweight world championship, while Golovkin
IBF/WBC/WBO/WBA/Ring Super Middleweight World Championship, while Golovkin says he plans to continue fighting.
All eyes on #BivolZurdo ????
????️ “I’ll beat him!” – @Canelo pic.twitter.com/crAbCR6o6j
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) September 18, 2022
“He is a really good fighter. He is strong. That is why we are here,” Álvarez said. “I’m going to move on, keep my legacy. First round, I knew it’s tough. He is a tough fighter. I need surgery, my left hand is not good. But I’m fine, I’m a warrior, that’s why I’m here. I can’t hold a glass. He is really bad. But I am a warrior.
Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) has always demanded answers from Alvarez. This time his questions received forceful answers in the form of right hands and left hooks. Golovkin’s mannequin eyes went lifeless.
Alvarez made an old man look old, for the first eight rounds.
Alvarez struggled for days after his May decision loss to WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. He punished himself for not following the principles that have made him a Hall of Fame fighter.
Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez closed the trilogy by defeating Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin for the second time (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom).
Someone had to pay.
That someone was “GGG”.
Judges Dave Moretti (116-112), Steve Weisfeld (115-113) and David Sutherland (115-113) scored for Alvarez by much narrower margins than anticipated.
With 1:59 left in the first, Alvarez landed the first significant punch and, midway through the first, dropped a right hand to Golovkin’s body. As the opening round wore on, chants of “Mexico, Mexico, Mexico” erupted from the Alvarez partisan crowd that packed T-Mobile Arena.
With 2:09 left in the second, chants of “Canelo, Canelo, Canelo” echoed throughout the building. With :50 left, Alvarez gave them a good reason, when he hit GGG with a right hand to the body.
During the first three rounds, Alvarez let go of his hands while GGG looked like the 40-year-old weathered man. With 1:18 left in the fourth, a left hook from Alvarez found Golovkin in the face. When GGG let go of his hands, he seemed slow. His timing was out of whack. He had no rhythm or concerted attack.
Canelo landed a vicious right hand to the body with 2:29 remaining in the fifth. If anything, it seemed like Alvarez was giving Golovkin too much respect through the first five rounds. It seemed that, if he had wanted to, he could have rammed straight into the aging former middleweight champion.
In the closing seconds of the fifth, Alvarez landed a looping right hand that hit Golovkin in the face. And you felt that trust began to take shape. Alvarez began to get closer and throw his punches with more intensity.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin embrace after their third fight. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom)
By the seventh, it started to get monotonous. Alvarez kept going, restarting when he wanted, with no resistance from Golovkin.
GGG momentarily came to life in the ninth, showing his classic side, setting up a right hand with a jab.
Golovkin followed up with another strong 11th. He had to know that he was way behind and had to stop Alvarez if he had any way of winning.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Canelo said of GGG’s late arrival. “I know him. He’s a strong fighter. For me, I’m happy to share the ring with him. He’s a very good fighter. I’m happy to be involved in that kind of fight.”
GGG’s late fee was just that: late. Álvarez did not follow through on his knockout promise. But he did close the trilogy with a resounding victory that left no doubt.
The two future Hall of Famers then hugged each other and spoke of their appreciation for one another, bonded forever as Ali-Frazier, Fury-Wilder and Gatti-Ward.
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. You can follow him on twitter @JSantoliquito [twitter.com].
