Canelo Alvarez got the clear win over Gennadiy Golovkin that he wanted, though he didn’t get or come close to the knockout he predicted before the fight.
The judges’ scores were 115-113, 115-113 and 116-112 in favor of Canelo, so they had him close once again, but those three judges had him closer than anyone, perhaps having psyched themselves up to take on this Fight. must be close
It wasn’t, actually. Bad Left Hook scored the fight 118-110 and 119-109 for Canelo (52-2-2, 39 KOs), who retains his undisputed super middleweight championship without controversy.
The 40-year-old Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) looked his age in this one, glacially slow compared to the 32-year-old Canelo, especially in the early rounds, with a rather mechanical approach. He seemed hesitant and unable to pull the trigger on much of anything meaningful, saving gas for later rounds.
In the last four rounds, he put in his biggest push, but it wasn’t classic GGG either. On the other hand, Canelo was efficient and effective, but he also didn’t completely overwhelm and really dominate, and there will be questions as to whether he “let Golovkin off the hook,” or whether he himself is simply starting to get a little past his best days. .
If we are honest, it was clearly the worst fight between the two of them, it was not discussed there, with a total lack of drama and, while a major event for the sport with two big stars and a lot of interest in the world of boxing and beyond: this time there was not the same energy that we saw in 2017 and 2018.
On a positive note, the two hugged each other after the fight and showed each other complete respect.
“Thank you my friend. Thank you. We gave the fans three good fights and thank you for everything,” Canelo told Golovkin. “He’s a really good fighter. He’s strong. He’s a great fighter, and that’s why we’re here. I’m going to keep going to keep my legacy growing strong. He’s tough, he’s a tough fighter.
“I need surgery on my hand,” added the Mexican superstar. “But I’m fine, I’m a warrior. That is why I am here.”
When asked about Golovkin’s attempt at a late charge, Alvarez said, “I wasn’t surprised. I know it. He is a strong fighter and I am not surprised.”
“This is a high level fight, this is the best fight in boxing. Everyone knows Canelo. It’s high level, high performance,” Golovkin said. “Very good quality. This fight was more tactical, like chess. Today, Canelo was better.”
Both agreed that any “discrepancies” are resolved between them, and Golovkin said he will keep fighting, noting that he still has two belts at middleweight and will come back to defend them.
Canelo, of course, has a clear goal: a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, already tentatively planned for Cinco de Mayo weekend in 2023.
“Everyone knows that I love Bivol,” Canelo said. But I need to rest. I need to give my body a break. I need to regain strength in my hand and body and come back stronger than ever. It is very important for my legacy and for my pride, for my country and my family (to take revenge on Bivol). And I will beat it.
Bivol will have to face Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez on November 5 in Abu Dhabi, defending his WBA light heavyweight title.
