A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER?
Canelo Alvarez
Of course, Alvarez was the winner of Saturday’s homecoming match against John Ryder in Mexico. The undisputed 168-pound champion raised his hand after knocking out the challenger and winning by a margin unanimous decision. That would lead directly to a second fight with Dmitry Bivol in September, Alvarez’s goal. At the same time, another meager performance – after a loss to Bivol and a win over Gennadiy Golovkin – fostered a nagging notion that the 32-year-old star was on the decline. He controls the fight by throwing a punch, sometimes two at the same time and wounding Ryder a few times but he looks a bit slower, a little less energetic, a bit less effective. little. He never increased his activity level or intensity, even when Ryder was injured. I had expected him to ramp up the throttle for a long time to give the fans what they wanted – a knockout match – but that didn’t happen. That, combined with Ryder’s resilience, plays a major role in his inability to stop a far inferior opponent. Alvarez looks good but OK is not a good look for one of the best boxers in the world. To be fair: If Alvarez goes up to Ryder with a healthy wrist and the support of his hometown fans, how can he expect to turn the tables against a better, bigger Bivol much more in their rematch? Answer: He cannot. Alvarez is not what he used to be.
BIGGEST MISTAKE?
Alvarez vs. Bivol II
Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) deserves our admiration for asking for a potential rematch against Bivol to be at 175 pounds, not 168 as Bivol wanted. The smaller man wanted to prove that he could reverse the outcome of their first battle under the same conditions. I must have liked that. The problem for him is that it can be mission impossible. Bivol won his first game last May so convincingly – despite scoring poorly – that it is hard to imagine a different outcome. Alvarez could argue that he fought the Russian with an injured left wrist, which he later had to undergo surgery on. Correct. However, he says the wrist feels fine against Ryder and he still looks substandard. The Bivol is bigger and simply better than this Alvarez version. If they fight again, whether it’s 175 or 168, you can bet the Russian of Southern California will beat him again and win another decision. However, I will add this: Great warriors have a way of doing great things. A healthy, inspired Alvarez may surprise us by delivering the greatest victory of his career. Just don’t rely on it.
BIGGEST WINNER II
John Ryder
John Ryder (right) is more determined than efficient. Ulises Ruiz / AFP via Getty Images
Boxing fans adore the winner. They also admire courage. Ryder (32-6, 18 KOs) doesn’t have the ability or punch power to present a real challenge to a boxer as capable as Alvarez, as we saw on Saturday. However, he did not come to the Guadalajara area just to survive; He tried to win until the last bell. As a result, he took on some tough penalties, from his possibly broken nose in Round 5 that caused blood to flow profusely throughout the game to the harrowing 9th Round, in which he appeared to be on the verge of death. stopped but refused. accept that fate. My favorite moment is probably when he bangs his gloves at the end of the ninth day, as if to say: “Come on, give me more. I’m not going anywhere.” And remember: He’s about to face one of the most famous boxers in sports history in hostile territory. he is said to have substituted an expected win for Alvarez Ryder should be proud of himself.
TRIAL DOLL
weighs 168 pounds David Benavidez an easier opponent than Bivol for Alvarez? Maybe. Will Alvarez win that fight? Sure is not. Benavidez’s aggressive style suits Alvarez well; in theory, the young man would head straight for the cauldron. However, Benavidez did not fight recklessly. He’s too smart to act as a punching bag, even against someone as capable as Alvarez. And the Mexicans are said to have not faced the kind of fire that Benavidez brought since the first two skirmishes with Golovkin. I believe that a young, aspiring Benavidez would be too much for Alvarez. One thing I’m sure of: It will be fun to watch. … Alvarez and his teammates performed better when he entered the match than when he was fighting. In particular, the 150-member mariachi band is reported to be something to see and hear as the boxer makes his way into the ring. Thank you Alvarez for giving his devoted fans something special. … Alvarez continued to dominate British boxers. He’s 8-0 now, knocked out Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes, Amir Khan, Liam Smith, Rocky Fielding, Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Ryder. … Flyweight class owner Julio Cesar Martinez (20-2, 15 KOs) overcame a slow start to stop Ronald Batista (15-3, 9 KOs) in 11lame pants round on the Alvarez-Ryder card. The seventh round stood out to me. Martinez knocked out Batista but at first referee Celestino Ruiz thought it was a slip. However, between rounds, the referees reversed Ruiz’s decision after watching the replays. Does that jurisdiction even have a replay policy? Or did they do it quickly? It was a strange moment. And it is unnecessary for them to stop taking action to announce their decision. They could have handled that between rounds, which wouldn’t have disrupted the course of the fight. That’s a bad overall view for the Mexican authorities even if justice is done.
