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Mike CoppingerESPN
LAS VEGAS – After the final bell and 36 rounds against each other, Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin shared a long hug, seemingly ending a feud that has been brewing in the five years since they first met on ring.
In another close-up, Alvarez retained his undisputed super-middleweight championship Saturday at T-Mobile Arena with a unanimous decision victory over his longtime opponent in a match. three-part battle in front of a raving Alvarez crowd on Mexico’s National Day Weekend.
Two judges gave Alvarez 115-113 while a third judge gave Alvarez a score of 116-112.
Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) started strong while Golovkin made his shot and barely threw his powerful right arm, the punch that catapulted him to stardom and a title Legendary mid-tier enemy. In the end, Golovkin found his footing and won four of the last five innings on two scorecards, but too little, too late.
While they hugged, Alvarez told Golovkin, “Thank you so much, my friend. Thank you for everything. We give the fans three good fights.”
The pleasant feeling was in stark contrast to the pre-match positivity, as Alvarez vowed to end Golovkin’s career with a knockout victory. He even called Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) a fake pretending to be a good guy.
Now, when the dust had settled and the rivalry was over, the fighters headed in separate directions.
Alvarez, who owns all four 168-pound belts, could pursue a rematch with Dmitry Bivol next year for the score even from May, when Bivol moves him through the decision. However, an injury to his left wrist may require surgery.
A team doctor said Alvarez had torn a meniscus in his wrist. Alvarez said he’ll wait and see if he needs surgery, which doctors say will require six to 12 weeks of recovery after that.
“I can’t hold a glass,” said Alvarez, 32, “It was really bad. But I’m a warrior.”
Alvarez, the boxing top star, told ESPN in the ring that his hand “started with Caleb Plant,” the Mexican boxer’s November TKO win before a loss to Bivol.
“I’ve been through some very difficult things in my life and the only thing you can do is try to move on and move forward,” Alvarez said. “I’ve been through tough times with my losses, and I’ve proven that losing is great. It helps you come back and show humility.”
That’s exactly what Alvarez showed after his second victory over Golovkin, the third meeting that Golovkin and boxing fans eagerly waited four years for. The September 2018 rematch, which Alvarez won by majority decision, was far from convincing, a battle that required an encore. The first match, in September 2017, was a controversial draw that Golovkin was determined to win.
Those two bouts were contested at 160 pounds, where Golovkin remained a unified champion.
“Remember, I have [two] 160. I’m back, I’m still the champion,” said Golovkin, who is making his 168-pound debut.
Since winning the Olympic silver medal in 2004, Golovkin has competed in the 160-pound division in title fights.
“Everybody knows this is high class. This is the best fighter in boxing. Everyone knows who Canelo is. It was a huge fight. Look at his face; look at his face. my face. We had a good workout and this shows we had a very good quality fight,” he said.
“This fight is more tactical. Canelo was better today. Congratulations Canelo.”
Indeed, this fight is a far cry from the memorable first two of their rivalry, save for the final four, when the action grows exponentially.
Golovkin, 40, of Kazakhstan, who was competing in Los Angeles, was beaten by all three cards in the match and picked up pace. He started firing the right arm that made him a future Hall of Famer and connected with some hits in Round 9 after he pinned Alvarez in the corner.
Round 10 is the same, with a series of sharp upper right cuts on the inside set by Golovkin’s excellent shot. After the 11th round, in which a headbutt accidentally opened Alvarez’s right eye, Golovkin finished strong in the 12th round.
“The second half, I didn’t feel bad,” Golovkin said. “This fight is very clever – more tactical, like chess.”
However, the fight was not so good in the first seven innings. Golovkin made the stroke but never continued with his right hand. Alvarez, meanwhile, controlled the action and pushed Golovkin back with loads of pressure.
Alvarez struck Golovkin’s body with a blunt right hand to the liver, and a left hook to the face was delivered after it. At the end of round 3, Golovkin’s face was swollen, and on his forehead appeared a large mole.
Alvarez continued to hit Golovkin’s midsection with his right hand as the fight continued, and in Round 5, Alvarez connected with perhaps the biggest punch of the match, an overhand punch that snapped off his head. the Challenger.
However, Golovkin was never in danger. After all, he has one of the best chins in boxing, and time hasn’t eroded it.
But the passage of time, at last, brought to an end what was once a bitter rivalry. ESPN’s £5 boxer Alvarez will be looking to reclaim the top spot he owned before a nasty defeat to Bivol after a well-deserved break.
Golovkin is nearing the end but insists he will continue with his career. After his late game against Alvarez on Saturday, there will be much interest in his future matches, whether they are contested at £160 or 168.
No matter what happens to each man, their time together in the ring is over, and with it, one of the greatest – and most valuable – contests in boxing history. older brother.
“I’m happy to share the ring with him,” Alvarez said. “We’ve given our fans three really good battles. I’m happy to be part of such battles.”
