A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
The “good” thing that came out of the third fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin on Saturday was that it was over.
Triple-G 40 years old looks like his age 2/3 of the time and 39 years old the last 1/3. Alvarez faded for the duration of a game he never really wanted, then complained he had aggravated a painful wrist injury and required surgery.
The results are painful to see.
The first seven, eight innings were not competitive from afar, as Alvarez stepped up the action and Golovkin resentfully focused on avoiding punishment rather than eliminating any of it. He throws almost nothing but inaccurate throws.
It’s as if Golovkin – who pushed his opponents to his limits in their previous two matches – is not in the ring with him at this stage of the game.
Johnathan Banks, Golovkin’s coach, said in an interview on the sidelines of the 8th round that his man needed to go to work. In fact, he didn’t show up to work for most of the battle.
Triple-G starts hitting again on the eighth or ninth round, making the fight competitive from then on. He considers a late start to be his strategy, perhaps because he is no longer physically fit to fight hard for 12 rounds.
That effort did not save Golovkin or the war.
The rally (if that’s what happened) was too little, too late, for him lost a unanimous decision according to the scores – 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 – that’s ridiculously generous for a loser. (See “worse” below.)
And a couple of rounds can’t turn a terrifying battle into good, unless you enjoy watching a once-great boxer’s fight against an injured opponent that doesn’t seem to be inspired at all. .
The first two matches between Alvarez and Golovkin were good ones. The third could not be more forgettable.
BAD
What’s next for Alvarez and Golovkin?
Alvarez said he wants to give his body time to heal, including what he says will be a surgically repaired wrist. He will then pursue a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, assuming the Russians beat Gilberto Ramirez in November.
“And I’m going to beat him,” Alvarez said after Saturday’s game.
I do not think so.
Bivol’s unanimous decision win over Alvarez in May was convincing. He was the bigger, much better fighter that night. And I don’t see anything in Alvarez’s third fight with Golovkin that makes me believe he can overtake Bivol in a rematch, though I’ll keep his word about the injury.
I yearn for a rematch. Self-esteem. However, I think Alvarez will be wiser against smaller opponents than Bivol, the likes of David Benavidez and Jermall Charlo. Those matches will be easier to win for Alvarez and more receptive to fans.
Who wouldn’t want to watch Alvarez vs. Benavidez? It was the most exciting potential matchup for the Mexicans.
Alvarez will have plenty of time to consider his options. I hope he puts his pride aside and goes in a fan-friendly direction.
Golovkin?
He made it clear after the game that he intended to drop to 160th to defend his middleweight title, which made me uncomfortable.
He was still able to defeat the likes of Kamil Szeremeta and Ryota Murata, his victims in the two previous battles. But can you imagine him fighting Demetrius Andrade or Jermall Charlo? I don’t want to think about that.
Gennadiy Golovkin who destroyed everyone in his path is gone. Maybe it’s time to move on.
WORSE
FightNews.com
May I ask this question about too many protracted fights: What did the referees watch?
I gave Golovkin one of 12 rounds. I can see for him two, maybe even three if you give him the benefit of every doubt. But year?
That’s what judges Steve Weisfeld and David Sutherland saw. Both gave Golovkin the first game and four of the last five. Judge Dave Moretti gave the loser four rounds, all of whom came in the final seven innings.
I admit that Golovkin was more competitive in the final third of the match but he was still inaccurate with his shots – mostly jabs – in those innings. He was better but not particularly effective.
Alvarez is not in his best form either. However, I think he continues to hit more eye-catching shots.
Consider this: If judges Weisfeld and Sutherland gave Golovkin just one more round, a one-sided, non-competitive fight would be a majority draw. Imagine the uproar that happened.
Bottom line for me? The official scoring disappointed the fans as they saw what they saw, a match dominated by Alvarez that should have been scored. They know the score does not reflect what happened in the ring.
It’s as if the referees crouched behind to justify a bad game. That is not their job.
BAGS DOLL
News item #1: Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) and Errol Spence Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) agreed to the terms for a welterweight match on November 19, although no one signed anything. It was the best fight that could happen in boxing, reminiscent of the great 147-pound fights of the past. I wish Crawford (34 years old) was a little younger but I’m not complaining. I hope it happens. … News item #2: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua Looks like we will meet on December 3rd. It was a weird match where Joshua lost in a row Oleksandr Usyk, which damaged his legacy. Why not fight Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship? Because an all-British bout between Fury and Joshua is bigger than Fury-Usyk in terms of business, certainly in the UK, it could be the most lucrative bout in that country’s history even though Joshua has his fair share. obvious loopholes. I got it. Fury can fight Usyk afterwards. Who is the winner of the aforementioned wars? Now I’m leaning towards Crawford in a close fight with Spence because he’s a better, more dynamic boxer. And no active heavyweight can beat a consistent, focused Fury. …
Boxing can be a lot of fun. Children’s bantamweight president Bam Rodiguez (17-0, 11 KO) destroyed Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and then wrestled the Alvarez-Golovkin card against an opponent he was expected to handle with ease, the four-time title challenger Israel Gonzalez (28-5-1, 11 KOs). Rodriguez deserves unanimous-determined win but he had to work hard for it. Why? Give Gonzalez credit. The 25-year-old Mexican tennis player is a good, experienced boxer. And Rodriguez may have been somewhat disappointed after his life-changing win earlier this year. The 22-year-old from San Antonio deserves credit for getting the job done. And, of course, he’s still the Fighter of the Year nominee. … Super Mid-Range Candidate Ali Akhmedov (19-1, 14 KOs) looks great in decide win or lose than veterans Gabriel Rosado (26-16-1, 15 KOs) on the Alvarez-Golovkin card. Golovkin’s stable mate was willing and put in his best effort with Rosado, who was never given a chance to accomplish anything. I will always wonder about Akhmedov’s aura about his knockout loss first Carlos Gongora in 2020 but he can obviously fight. Rosado, 36, has now lost her last three matches. The end for the skinny Philadelphia boxer is near.
