Tag Archives: alvarez

Posted on 09/22/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The entire world of boxing is patiently waiting the Light Heavyweight showdown between WBO belt holder Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) and current Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs). It is arguably the biggest fight of the year. The contest will be taking place on November 2nd, at the MGM arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This will certainly be a great fight, but something just doesn’t make any sense. The consensus around this fight is that Kovalev doesn’t have a chance. Sure, there are a few who believe the Russian born fighter has what it takes to pull off the upset but many aren’t expecting it. Why is that?

Well, Kovalev is 36 years of age compared to just 29 for Canelo. He also has been in his fair share of wars recently. Canelo might have more fights under his belt but there is no doubt that Kovalev has been in the more grueling matchups throughout his career. The Light Heavyweight champion’s inability to fight on the inside while also being soft to the body is viewed as a detriment in this contest.

Let’s also be honest. Kovalev isn’t the fighter he once was. His former trainer, John David Jackson views this as Kovalev’s “cashing out” fight. Meaning once he loses he’ll take the career high payday and fade away from the sport of boxing. These words that have been echoed by Jackson have been spewed by others, but just how true are they? Is the WBO Light Heavyweight champions chances of winning as microscopic as they are making it seem?

Kovalev has spent his entire ten year career at the Light Heavyweight division so of course he will be the naturally bigger man in this contest. He also won’t be intimidated by the moment. Canelo Alvarez is by far the biggest name in the sport of boxing today. Dealing with his skill inside the ring can be a difficult task but simply dealing with the occasion can be an arduous one as well.

Unlike many of Canelo’s opponents, Kovalev has been involved in plenty of big fights. Back to back fights against former champion Jean Pascal in his hometown of Montreal saw Kovalev come out victorious via stoppage both times. He also managed to beat future hall of famer Bernard Hopkins decisively when they matched up in 2014.

Of course Kovalev is most known for his consecutive defeats at the hands of all-time great fighter Andre Ward. Speaking of those losses to Ward, they were both highly controversial. In their first matchup Kovalev scored a second round knockdown and seemed to outbox Ward throughout the duration of the contest. Unfortunately for Kovalev, he wasn’t given the decision.

The second matchup once again saw Kovalev out boxing Ward until he was stopped due to body punches. In all fairness to Kovalev it seemed like an unfair stoppage as Ward’s punches appeared to be low. Still, the loss isn’t the important part, it was the occasion. Kovalev fought the best fighter at the moment and was not overwhelmed.

For those who are saying Kovalev hasn’t been the same since those losses might want to rethink that notion.

In 2018, Kovalev was brutally knocked out against Eleider Alvarez. Six months later, Kovalev won the immediate rematch. How about his last contest? He faced a much younger and fresher fighter in Anthony Yarde. It was ostensible that Kovalev was dominating the contest. In round eight however, Kovalev was badly hurt. He some how found a way to make it out of the round and subsequently stopped Yarde in the eleventh.

So what does all of this mean? That’s simple. Kovalev isn’t coming into this contest to collect a check and lay down.

“I don’t get in the ring to lose,” said Kovalev. “Why come to the ring if you are going to lose? My mental is not ready for this.”

Doubt Kovalev if you want but he has shown time and time again that he can and will raise his game to the highest levels.

Posted on 09/20/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The career of Canelo Alvarez has become one that is filled with unexpected challenges. At the age of 23, no one expected young Alvarez, who was undefeated at the time to take on the best fighter in the world at that time in Floyd Mayweather Jr. What took place in that fight was a one sided matchup. Alvarez was outclassed. His game plan, which is still puzzling to understand, was too out box one of the very best boxers who has ever laced up a pair of boxing gloves. It didn’t work out but it was a risk he was willing to take.

Following his loss to Mayweather, Canelo took another risk as he stepped into the ring against Erislandy Lara. The aforementioned Lara had a style that was similar to Mayweather. Everyone thought that it was too risky of a move but much like the theme of his career, he went ahead and went through with the contest anyways. It was a close call but Canelo’s risk paid off as he came away with the victory.

The very next year in 2015, Canelo took yet another risk, although this one was not perceived as dangerous as he took on Miguel Cotto.

Sure Canelo was the younger fighter but Cotto was a four division champion with plenty to prove. Their contest which took place on November 11th, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada was an impressive showing for Canelo as he won a close decision.

Fast forward two years later and Canelo found himself in harm’s way once again. At the time, no one wanted to step in the ring with unified Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. Canelo did it not once, but twice. The first contest unjustly ended in a draw. The Immediate rematch was ruled in the favor of Canelo. The Mexican superstar prevailed in yet another risky fight.

In his most recent ring appearance, Canelo took on IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs. A slick and hard punching boxer. Many thought he would avoid Jacobs. There was good reason for that belief, but if you have been following this story and the life of Canelo then you would understand that he isn’t a man who shies away from risk.

On Cinco De Mayo weekend earlier this year, he would go on to outpoint Jacobs and the unify the Middleweight titles.

The list of opponents for his upcoming fight in November was a long one, but there was one name in particular which floated around more than the others. WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev.

Now that these two will officially be facing each other on November 2nd, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, it is another risk for Alvarez. This one, unlike the others, might be a step too far for Canelo.

Kovalev resides two weight divisions higher than Alvarez and has a four inch height and two inch reach advantage. He will also be the hardest hitting fighter Alvarez has ever stepped into the ring with. Kovalev may not be the fighter he once was but he still will bring plenty of experience and a physicality advantage to the ring as well.

“It’s a risk for me because naturally he’s heavier than me,” said Canelo. “He’s stronger than me, bigger.”

The career of Canelo has been predicated on risk. He has continually managed to take on dangerous fight after dangerous fight. His ambition to continue to challenge himself is simple.

“I want to make history in boxing. That is the only thing I want.”

Posted on 09/19/2019

By: Hans Themistode

With the news of current Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) deciding to move up in weight and challenge WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs), it has left everyone with an opinion.

Giving a full breakdown of this fight is a difficult one. Canelo has never campaigned at the Light Heavyweight division. How will his body hold up now that he has decided to move up not one, but two divisions? With that being said, Kovalev has been in several wars as of late, Canelo could be catching the current champion at just the right time.

One man who has his own opinions on this contest is former trainer of Kovalev, John David Jackson. He and Kovalev had a successful run together before parting ways back in 2017. Kovalev may not be the fighter he once was but he is sill a hand full for anyone.

“It’s still a bit of a risk,” said Jackson. “The last thing that will leave Kovalev is his punch and he can box when he wants to.”

Make no mistake about it, this is a dangerous fight for Canelo as he will have a four inch height and two inch reach disadvantage. Still, even with those advantages for Kovalev, Jackson see’s an avenue that Canelo could take to victory.

“Canelo and his team are smart so they’ll look too close that distance as soon as possible because Kovalev has a good jab. If they don’t then they’ll be in trouble. Once Canelo gets inside than its going to be trouble for Kovalev. If you watch him closely he doesn’t really have an inside game. Kovalev really has a hard time keeping guys off of him. His body is weak. Whenever you see a guy drinking after a fight than you know he has a problem. Canelo is a very good body puncher. Even the young kid Yarde was going to the body well but he just got caught. At this stage in Kovalev’s career, it’s hard to teach a guy with just one training camp how to fight on the inside. Once Canelo gets in close it’ll cause a lot of problems for Kovalev.”

When the news of this fight taking place broke, it wasn’t surprising to anyone. What was a shock however, was that there is no weight clauses. Even Jackson was a bit stunned by it but he also acknowledged that Canelo is a fighter who doesn’t need or want those advantages.

“A lot of guys in the history of boxing have jumped up and down in weight, but they would typically have weight clauses. What that does is, it helps the smaller fighter who is coming up. With Canelo he’ll fight you at your weight. You have to give him a lot of credit for that.”

As for who Jackson expects to win this contest, he was slightly hesitant, but he anticipates Canelo to be successful in his endeavorers at the Light Heavyweight division.

“I think it’s a tough matchup for Canelo but I think he’ll pull it off. Sergey is older, his life outside of boxing is terrible, he’s been in a lot of wars and he doesn’t seem like he is as passionate and hungry anymore. I think this fight is his cashing out fight.”

Posted on 09/16/2019

By: Hans Themistode

There is a new trend in boxing. Minimize the risk while maximizing the reward.

What that essentially means is, many fighters would rather avoid facing the best competition that they can while also getting the most money for facing inferior opponents.

No fighter would actually admit to this theory, but it’s evident.

That precious 0 in the loss column means everything to fighters. Even those who have already suffered a few defeats in their career are still hesitant to take risks. It makes sense.

Why take on a great fighter for roughly a million dollars when you can face someone who faces significantly less of a threat for roughly the same amount of money? From a business standpoint, it doesn’t make any sense at all.

Not all fighters however, are driven by money alone.

Canelo Alvarez recently signed the biggest deal in sports history at the time with the streaming app DAZN. So of course money is important to him, but just as important, is his legacy.

While Alvarez was an undefeated 21 year old, he took on the biggest challenges that he possibly could. He successfully defeated future hall of famer Shane Mosley. He then followed that up with wins over Josesito Lopez and Austin Trout.

He continued his tough road by taking on Floyd Mayweather at the age of 23 which resulted in his first and only loss. That didn’t discourage Alvarez, it only made him hunger to get better. Getting better is exactly what Alvarez has done as he is now the biggest name in the sport of boxing.

Alvarez consistently takes on tough challenge after tough challenge. For him, he wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I like a challenge,” said Alvarez when asked about why he enjoys difficult fights a few months back. “I want to leave behind a legacy that will make me remembered with some of the best fighters that have ever entered the ring.”

With youth still on his side, Alvarez already has an outstanding resume. In his most recent ring appearance he defeated Daniel Jacobs and unified the Middleweight titles. He has the likes of Gennady Golovkin, Amir Khan and Miguel Cotto also on his list of wins. No one would blink an eye if he decided to take a soft touch for his upcoming November 2nd contest, but Alvarez isn’t built that way.

The Middleweight division is stacked with talent. WBO champion Demetrius Andrade, WBC belt holder Jermall Charlo and of course former unified champion and long time rival Gennady Golovkin were all options. In true Alvarez fashion, he went the complete opposite way.

On November 2nd in Las Vegas, Nevada, Alvarez will move up two weight classes to take on WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev. It was a move that was rumored to be the most likely for Alvarez, but still, now that it is official, it is almost unbelievable that this is the path he actually choose.

For those who are criticizing Alvarez’s choice should take a seat. Kovalev might not be the fighter he once was but he is still one of the very best fighters in the division. Let’s also not forget that there is no weight class clauses. At least none that have been reported. Meaning, Alvarez will face Kovalev as a full fledged Light Heavyweight.

Canelo Alvarez was already a great fighter and arguably the best pound for pound. With his move to the Light Heavyweight division however, he is cementing his legacy as one of the very best fighters in history.

Posted on 08/26/2019

By: Hans Themistode

WBO Light Heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (34-3-1, 29 KOs) had a ton of pressure on his shoulders this past weekend. It seems strange to say that about a man who has fought in several big fights and is considered by most to be the best Light Heavyweight fighter. Still, on August 24th, 2019, the pressure was at an all-time high.

Kovalev was fighting in his hometown of Chelyabinsk Russia and defending his title against the then undefeated British contender Anthony Yarde. Homecoming bouts have always induced added pressure on fighters, but this particular one was even more so.

The Fighter nicknamed “Krusher” wasn’t just fighting to keep his title while impressing his hometown fans, but he was also looking to secure a bout with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. A loss for Kovalev would have seen him not only lose his title, but also a career high payday against the aforementioned Alvarez.

The tension might have been high but you could not tell by watching Kovalev perform on Saturday night. To sum up Kovalev’s night would be simple. He looked sensational. He did have a bit of a scare in the eighth round where he took several hard shots and was nearly stopped. Other than that however, he looked great in scoring an 11th round knockout victory.

Now that his test against Yarde is behind him, he is seemingly inline for a much more difficult one against Alvarez.

Even with Kovalev possessing the height and reach advantages as well as a major edge in terms of weight as Alvarez will be moving up two divisions to make this contest happen, the favorite going into this contest is unclear.

There is no secret that Alvarez is the biggest star that boxing has to offer. With over 50 wins, world titles in three weight classes and wins over some of the biggest names that the sport has ever seen including Shane Mosley, Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto, it is easy to see why Alvarez is such a fan favorite fighter.

The argument can be made that Alvarez would be the favorite against anyone in his natural weight division, Middleweight. His foray into the Light Heavyweight division however would be another story entirely. Giving up four inches in height as well as two inches in reach won’t be easy to overcome. On fight night, Alvarez could easily be outweighed by roughly 15-20 pounds as well. These disadvantages would lead everyone to believe that his match against Kovalev would see him as an underdog. Think again.

Although Kovalev is a terrific fighter, it seems as though his age, 36, is catching up with him. Knockout losses at the hands of both Andre Ward and Eleider Alvarez have proven that he isn’t quite the same fighter he once was.

Gone are the days of Kovalev simply running through his opponents and scoring quick knockouts. Instead, he seems content in outboxing his opponents. Yet in his previous contest against Anthony Yarde, he proved that he still has plenty of power as he stopped his man in the eleventh round.

Kovalev may not be the same fighter he once was but, make no mistake about it, he will be the most dangerous fighter Alvarez has ever faced.

The current WBO Light Heavyweight champion should certainly be favored going into this contest, but Alvarez has all of the tolls to get the job done.

Posted on 08/06/2019

By: Jonah Dylan

After a packed boxing schedule a weekend ago, it was only fair that this weekend was much more tame in the meaningful fights department. As for the next few weekends, well, whatever.

There was news, though! And lots of it regarding arguably boxing’s biggest star, Canelo Alvarez. The whole situation could’ve been avoided if he’d just agreed to fight Gennady Golovkin – the fight everyone wants to see – for a third time. Instead, he refused to do that, and Golden Boy ended up blowing their negotiation for a mandatory fight with Sergey Derevyanchenko. Now Alvarez, who finished his last fight with three alphabet belts, has only one.

So let’s unpack that and also take a look at the limited action from the weekend.

1. The situation is still very much salvageable, and here’s how.

Let’s just get this out of the way first: Canelo should just fight GGG. If he wins, we never have to talk about this again. Now, no matter what happens in his next fight, this is still going to hang over both guys for the foreseeable future, especially because John Skipper and DAZN have invested so much money in them fighting each other.

Ok. Golovkin is going to fight Derevyanchenko for the vacant IBF belt, and that’s that. Canelo still needs an opponent. There are two very good options.

The Canelo-Callum Smith hype seems to have stalled, but why? Smith is definitely the man at 168, and Canelo has always wanted to fight the best. He was willing to move all the way up to light heavyweight to fight Sergey Kovalev, so it’s not out of the question that he would move up one division to face Smith. The news that Billy Joe Saunders is likely to sign with Matchroom mean a Saunders-Smith unification could be next, but I’d rather see Canelo go fight Smith in England.

Smith is absolutely massive and would tower over Alvarez, who would probably employ the same game plan he used against Rocky Fielding of attacking the body nonstop. It would be a great clash of styles and would be a very intriguing fight for DAZN.

Then there’s Demetrius Andrade, who’s basically been chilling for the past year, cruising to wide decision victories while he waits for a big-name opponent to fight him. This didn’t seem like a fight Alvarez really wanted until recently, when his other options thinned out. This fight should be for the undisputed middleweight title, but sanctioning bodies had to get in the way of that.

Still, Alvarez against Andrade would be a big fight, and it would give Andrade the big opportunity he’s been waiting so long for. If Alvarez won this fight, there would really be nothing left for him to do at 160, and he could plausibly vacate his belts and go fight Smith or Kovalev. It’s enticing.

Still, give me Canelo-Smith, Andrade-Jermall Charlo and Golovkin-Derevyanchenko. Of course, it’s boxing, so dream scenarios rarely work out, but a guy can dream.

2. How good is Adam Kownacki?

I still don’t think we really have an answer to that question, but he’s taken solid step-ups in competition over the last year. He’s passing the tests, and Kownacki-Arreola didn’t lack in drama, but I’ll admit I have some difficulty finding a path for victory for him against the top heavyweights.

You can compare him to Andy Ruiz because of his body type, but Kownacki doesn’t have Ruiz’s hand speed. Yeah, I know he broke Compubox records for his output against Arreola, but I think Ruiz would overwhelm him anyways. His defense is suspect, which makes me doubt he’d survive 12 rounds with Deontay Wilder, and I don’t see how he’s better than Tyson Fury in any category. Maybe he could use Ruiz’s playbook against Anthony Joshua, but even in that fight I think he’d struggle with Joshua’s power.

But alas, he’s a fun fighter to watch, and he’s a good draw in Brooklyn. A Wilder-Kownacki fight at Barclays Center would do big business, and PBC knows that. If Wilder gets through his next two fights, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him facing Kownacki. I just don’t think Kownacki is ready for that.

3. Top Rank clearly has very different plans for Michael Conlan and Shakur Stevenson

And it’s hard to blame them. Conlan is a massive draw in Belfast, as we saw over the weekend. It doesn’t matter who he fights: if Conlan is on the card, fans will be there. He could never leave Belfast, fight guys you’ve never heard of, and probably draw 10,000 people for the rest of his career.

After the 2016 Olympics, Conlan and Stevenson were Top Rank’s two biggest signings, and the clock started ticking for a fight between them in, say, 10 years. Just a few years later, though, it’s very clear that Stevenson has progressed far quicker than Conlan, at least in the ring. Stevenson has dominated everyone thrown in front of him and will fight for a world title this year. You could make the case he’s ready to fight anybody in the featherweight division.s

We’re still waiting for a big Conlan step-up fight. He hasn’t been super impressive so far, but then again, he doesn’t really need to. He’s a star, no matter what. Top Rank knows they can move him along much slower than Stevenson, and why wouldn’t they? They’re selling tickets and people are happy. It’s just that before the hype train even left the station, Conlan-Stevenson is losing speed.

In terms of next steps, the Conlan-Vladimir Nikitin fight still makes sense to me, even if Nikitin isn’t all that great of a fighter. Top Rank signed Nikitin seemingly just for this fight, and it’s an easy one to sell. Unless Conlan is making a major step-up and really chasing a world title, this is a decent fight to make.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJonahDylan

Posted on 08/02/2019

By: Sean Crose

Canelo Alvarez has been stripped of his IBF world middleweight title. Furthermore, he is no longer going to be facing Sergiy Derevyanchenk as his next opponent, as was widely expected. Canelo was supposed to face Derevyanchenk as his mandatory, but a deal between the two camps was unable to be made. The IBF subsequently stripped boxing’s biggest star of one of his belts after having given numerous extensions for a deal to be reached. Although Canelo has been said to be one of the few boxers on earth to not need a belt, being stripped of a major title never makes for good PR.

Perfectly aware of this, Canelo’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, released an official comment on the matter. “We are extremely disappointed at the IBF for forcing the world’s best fighter to relinquish his world title,” he began. “We have been in serious negotiations with Sergiy Derevyanchenko’s promoter. We offered his team an unprecedented amount of money for a fighter of his limited stature and limited popularity, but the truth is that I’m now certain they never had any intention of making a deal. But instead they wanted to force us to relinquish Canelo’s belt.”

In other words, De La Hoya argues that Derevyanchenko’s camp is looking for a way to get a crack at the title other than having to face the highly skilled Canelo. “This is an insult to boxing,” De La Hoya continued, “and more importantly an insult to the boxing fans of the world.” The Golden Boy Promotions honcho then directly attacked the IBFs reputation. “This decision,” he said, “validates already existing concerns about the credibility of the IBF championship. Canelo inherited a mandatory challenger by defeating Daniel Jacobs, the man who beat Derevyanchenko, so to strip him of his title without giving him enough time to make the best fight possible is truly what is wrong with boxing.” De La Hoya’s statement then ended in what was essentially the strongest way imaginable: “I plan,” he said, “to aggressively consider all legal actions possible.”

Yet Lou DiBella, who reps Derevyanchenko, had a different take on the matter. “This is trash,” he tweeted in response to De La Hoya’s firery statement. “How dare the @IBFUSBAboxing not take bribes, not kneel to Oscar and Ginger, and actually have the NERVE to abide by their WRITTEN rules. Credibility? What dat, Oscar? Where’s yours?”

As things now stand, Canelo is still looking for an opponent for his next fight. He reportedly refuses outright to face arch foe Gennady Golovkin a third time (at least for the time being), although that might be the fight most fans would want to see. DAZN, the streaming service which pays Canelo an enormous sum of money, also wants a third Golovkin fight Canelo, however, is known for his stubbornness. There was talk on Thursday evening that Canelo may fight WBO middleweight titlist Demetrius Andrade next. That would prove to be a major fight between two top middleweights – should it be made. As for Derevyanchenko, it is said he is now in line to face an yet to be determined opponent for the IBF strap.

Posted on 07/17/2019

By: Sean Crose

Although Mexican holiday weekends in September and May are known as occasions for Canelo Alvarez fights, this September’s Mexican Independence Day weekend will be an exception. For it’s been announced that the red haired star will not be fighting this on September 14th, as was widely expected. “As a Mexican,” Alvarez declared, “it’s a responsibility and an honor to represent my country in both May and September…those are my dates. However, as a world champion in multiple weight classes, I also have the responsibility of delivering the most exciting and competitive fights possible. That’s why Golden Boy and my team have decided to postpone the date in order to do right by my fans by promoting the best fight possible and with the best opponent possible.”

Word is that Canelo isn’t interested in fighting arch rival Gennady Golovkin again – at least not in the near future – and that there simply aren’t any names that can feasibly be matched with Canelo in time for September 14th. Possible opponents whose names were being bandied about were Sergey Kovalev, and Demetrius Andrade, among others. ESPN reports that DAZN, the streaming service Canelo fights on, had wanted Canelo to face Golovkin for a third time after two popular, lucrative and highly controversial middleweight title bouts. Yet apparently the biggest name if the fight business wanted nothing of it. ESPN also reports that, although DAZN was happy to let Canelo fight light heavyweight kingpin Kovalev instead of Golovkin, a deal simply couldn’t be reached for the September 14th fight date.

With all that in mind, Canelo is still expected to fight once again in 2019. At the moment, the 52-1-2 fighter is in the midst of an insanely lucrative 300-plus million dollar contract with DAZN. That means, however, that DAZN most likely has a say as to who Canelo gets to fight. With Golovkin having signed onto the streaming service for a ton of money himself, there may indeed be friction now that Canelo has opted not to face Golovkin again. Many, if not most, feel Canelo lost his first fight with Golovkin, although the judges ruled it a draw. There are those who felt Canelo lost his second fight with Golovkin, as well, though the judges gave him the nod on that occasion. That being said, Canelo is widely regarded as a fighter who isn’t afraid to take risks, a fact some would say is evidenced by Canelo’s seeming interest in facing Kovalev, a highly skilled, naturally bigger man.

Canelo’s last fight showed him besting the highly regarded Daniel Jacobs in impressive fashion, earning a well deserved unanimous decision win in Las Vegas, a city seen, sometimes skeptically, as the Mexican icon’s second home. Should Canelo fight again this year, which is something that is highly expected, it still remains uncertain who it is he will face. Canelo now holds belts in both the middleweight and super middleweight divisions. The World Boxing Council is particularly impressed with Canelo, who it recently gave a special title to.

Posted on 07/05/2019

By: Hans Themistode

There is currently a long line of contenders circling around the block for a shot at Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs).

The cinnamon headed champion has been linked to Jermall Charlo, Demetrius Andrade, Sergey Kovalev, Jamie Munguia, Callum Smith and of course Gennady Golovkin. Each fighter believes that they should be next. Every single one of their claims are legitimate, but Canelo can only choose one. Who exactly should get chosen is the real question.

Thankfully for Canelo we’ve decided to help him with such a decision. Below is a list of each man and where his ranking should be in terms of the radar of Canelo Alvarez. Whomever is chosen will have earned their shot, while the others will have to wait on the sidelines.

6. Jaime Munguia

Although Jaime Munguia (33-0, 26 KOs) is an undefeated belt holder at the Jr Middleweight division, he ranks last on this last. Munguia struggled mightily in his last two contest. At just age 22, he still has plenty of time to improve. A matchup against Canelo Alvarez at this point would be career suicide. He brings power and a never say die attitude, but against Canelo that won’t be nearly enough.

5. Gennady Golovkin

It may come across as a shock to see the former unified champion Gennady Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) so low on this list. It’s been well documented the ring wars that these two have shared. One could argue that Golovkin deserved the nod in both contests. Instead he had to settle for a draw and the first loss of his career.

As a champion for close to a decade, Golovkin deserves another opportunity, however, a third fight between the two wouldn’t exactly excite the fans now would it? That’s not to say that he isn’t deserving, but how about we get a few more fresh matchups in before we revisit a possible third showdown.

4. Callum Smith

In December of 2018, Canelo successfully moved up to the Super Middleweight division and made quick work of Rocky Fielding. In doing so, he became just the ninth Mexican born fighter to win a world title in three weight divisions. Although that is quite the accomplishment, many have placed an asterisk by it. Fielding held the WBA Regular title. Callum Smith (26-0, 19 KOs) on the other hand holds the full title.

If Canelo wants to quiet his naysayers who believe that he only went up to Super Middleweight to take on a weak challenge than he should take on Smith next. The problem with this matchup is that although Smith is terrific fighter, he is relatively unknown and brings very little in terms of a fanbase. Still, if Canelo wants to bring credence to his claim as a three division world champion then he needs to take on Smith to end the debate.

3. Demetrius Andrade

The WBO Middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade (28-0, 17 KOs) has been calling for a big fight for years now. No matter how many times he has asked, he has never been able to land one. Following his terrific performance against Maciej Sulecki where he completely shut out the former title challenger, Andrade may finally get his wish for a big fight.

Canelo has confirmed that there has been talks of a unification clash between the two. Andrade has just about everything that you need in order to become a star. His personality is infectious and boxing ability is outstanding. He just might be next in line to take on Canelo Alvarez.

2. Jermall Charlo

Houston native and huge puncher Jermall Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) successfully defended his WBC crown for the first time against the unheralded Brandon Adams. It was a dominant performance, one that has put Charlo on the radar of Canelo.

Many have anointed him as the next great American champion. It’s easy to see why. His brash attitude followed by his aggressive style in the ring has lead to eye catching performances. The WBC belt holder has been calling out Canelo Alvarez for years but to no avail. Luckily for Charlo, he might soon get his wish.

Sergey Kovalev

Before a few weeks ago, a proposed matchup between unified Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and current WBO Light Heavyweight title holder Sergey Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 KOs) would have seemed ludicrous. Now, it not only seems possible but likely. Canelo hasn’t just floated around the idea of climbing up two weight divisions to challenge Kovalev for his title but he seems to want that fight next. The unified Middleweight champion would be at a decided disadvantage in just about every category. Height, weight, reach, power, you name it and Kovalev holds the significant edge.

That is exactly why this bout ranks number one on our list. Unlike Canelo’s bout against Rocky Fielding where although Fielding was the bigger man, Canelo was the much better fighter, in this contest it would be something else entirely. Canelo has made a career of taking on the toughest challenges, but this would truly be his daring to be great moment.

Posted on 05/08/2019

By: Michael Kane

Billy Joe Saunders is due to face German based Albanian Shefat Isufi on May 18th at Stevenage FC’s Lamex Stadium for the vacant WBO world super middleweight title.

However one man is on his mind as he took to Frankwarren.com to call out Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

Canelo unified the WBC, WBA Super and IBF middleweight titles at the weekend with his win over Daniel Jacobs at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Former WBO world middleweight champion Saunders said, “I would love the Canelo fight, but does he want to fight me? I don’t think so.

“If they do want to fight me, ring me up. I am not asking for millions. Just be fair with me and we can get the show on the road.

“Canelo has cemented his name, made good money and is a superstar in the sport. I wouldn’t say he is avoiding me, but there are plenty of people he can pick apart from Billy Joe Saunders.

“That is a fact. Who wants to fight a slick southpaw who is hard to hit?

“It could be middleweight or super-middleweight. I want the big fights and that is a reason I am moving up to super-middleweight. I cannot get the big fights at middleweight.”

Jacob’s had agreed to a clause in that he couldn’t regain too much weight on the day of the fight, he came in 3.6 lbs over this and was penalised by approx $750,000.

Saunders said this wouldn’t restrict him.

“I wouldn’t be restricted for any weight clauses at all.

“Daniel Jacobs was clearly struggling to come in the next day only three pounds over the agreed weight. If he wanted to balloon up he would have been eight or nine pounds above what he was at the weigh-in.

“That has cost him a lot of money and I believe that took a bit of performance away from Jacobs.”

If Saunders can become a two weight world champion by adding the Super middleweight title, he would be interested in facing fellow Englishman WBA super champion Callum Smith in a unification bout.

Saunders said, “Callum is a good fighter and big, but I think people go on about size in this sport too much.

“We saw David Haye beating Nikolai Valuev. Size doesn’t matter in this sport.

“If you’re good enough, you’re good enough, end of and I believe I am good enough to beat Callum Smith. That is a fight I would entertain.”

Posted on 05/07/2019

By: Jesse Donathan

The lead up to Saturday nights highly anticipated clash between Mexican middleweight superstar Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs brought out a range of emotions and fears among fight fans and pundit alike. Straight out of the mandatory Boxing 101 course, BoxingInsider.com’s Sean Crose wrote in his May 03, 2019 article titled, “Judging Concerns Hang Over Canelo-Jacobs Fight Week,” that, “There is no doubt that Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is the biggest star in boxing.” But, as Crose points out, “Canelo’s popularity among Las Vegas judges, however, has caused many to raise eyebrows.” The question of whether Daniel Jacobs, a cancer survivor and natural fan favorite, could get a fair shake loomed like a dark cloud in the week leading up to Saturday nights showdown between the two boxing rivals.

While most fans seem content with Canelo’s Saturday night decision victory, UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier was left wondering which fight the DAZN fight analysts were watching. “Brian Kenny and Sergio Mora really suck! Canelo won but Danny fought a good fight man wtf they ruined the fight,” wrote Cormier in his Saturday night Twitter post.

The former WBC Super Welterweight Champion and DAZN analyst Mora caught wind of the Cormier tweet and replied, “Sorry you thought I sucked champ. I think your striking sucks. Let me work with you so @JonnyBones doesn’t kick your (expletive) for a third straight time.” Normally, I would find such back and forth exchanges between professional fight analysts unfortunate, though a semi-regular occurrence on Twitter, but it does highlight the potential for bias in the sports entertainment industry. Something which many longtime fans will tell you is a given due to the saturated state of bias and corruption that permeates nearly all facets of combat sports today.

For his part, Cormier wasn’t alone in his observations. Forbes.com contributor Brian Mazique critiqued the DAZN fight analyst crew himself, finding it hard to remember a more blatantly slanted broadcast in his May 5, 2019 article, “Canelo Alvarez Vs. Daniel Jacobs: Despite Biased Commentary, Saturday’s Fight Was No Blowout.” Canelo is reported to have signed a $365-million dollar deal with the streaming service DAZN, 35-million from the Jacobs fight alone according to a May 4, 2019 bloodyelbow.com article titled, “Canelo vs Jacobs salaries: Alvarez gets $35 million, Jacobs to get over $10 million,” by author Anton Tabuena.

Prior to Saturday nights middleweight bout, Canelo and Jacobs famously scuffled, with Jacobs letting Canelo know he was there to kick butt and chew bubblegum. And he was all out of bubblegum. In a May 3, 2019 latimes.com article titled, “Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs have to be restrained at weigh-in,” author Lance Pugmire noted that things got slightly out of hand at Fridays weigh-in. “Jacobs quickly assumed his position on Alvarez’s side of the stage for photos of their face-off.” According to Pugmire, “When Alvarez approached, Jacobs met him by aggressively pressing his forehead to the champion’s.”

The theatrics didn’t stop there either, according to a May 4, 2019 boxingscene.com article titled, “Jacobs Faces $1M Penalty, 3 ½ Pounds Overweight at 2nd Weigh-In,” author Keith Idec writes, “Eddie Hearn wasn’t kidding. Daniel Jacobs’ promoter suggested Wednesday that Jacobs could ignore the 170-pound limit for his second-day weigh-in the morning of his fight against Canelo Alvarez.” According to Idec, “Oscar de La Hoya, Alvarez’s promoter, told ESPN.com that Jacobs weighed 173.6 pounds at their second-day weigh-in.” According to boxingscene.com:

“The 32-year-old Jacobs told a group of reporters Tuesday at MGM Grand that he intends to weigh a maximum of 175 pounds when he enters the ring Saturday night to face Alvarez.”

Considering Jacobs is reported to have weighed 173.6 for the 2nd weigh-in on Saturday morning, I have a hard time believing he will be entering the ring Saturday night no more than 175 pounds. Idec would go on to write that, “The 5-feet-8 Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) stands four inches shorter than Jacobs (35-3, 29 KOs).” During Friday’s pre-fight face off, Canelo appeared to be the smaller man by some margin before things got out of a hand, despite wearing what appeared to be red and white elevator shoes to neutralize the obvious height discrepancy for the cameras.

“Regardless, Jacobs weighing in 3 ½ pounds more than what was allowable in their contracts will not prohibit their 12-round, 160-pound unification fight from taking place Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena,” explained Idec.

The second day weigh-in stipulations highlighting the roles overall size, weight cutting, proper hydration and game planning play at the most elite levels of professional boxing. These variables and more all come together in the alchemy of the sweet science, that when firing on all cylinders, leads to the kind of elite pugilistic performance we saw Saturday night between two great fisticuff artists.

“Canelo is already all but confirmed for Boxing’s Hall of Fame, and that’s no small achievement, but to be remembered as one of the greatest middleweights in boxing history is an impossible task for 99% of professional 160lbers,” writes BoxingInsider.com’s Ste Rowen in his May 3, 2019 article titled, “Canelo Has the Throne & And is Now Three Fights Away from Middleweight Immortality.” Rowen would go on to note, “When money isn’t an issue, for Canelo, it should now be all about his lasting legacy.”

“In his backstage exhalation, Canelo Alvarez spread his arms wide on a couch, surrounded by championship belts on each side, content that the boxing world is his,” writes latimes.com columnist Lance Pugmire in his May 5, 2019 article, “Canelo Alvarez wants to ‘fight for a title’ — and maybe make Gennady Golovkin squirm.” Pugmire would go on to note that with, “Álvarez’s over Daniel Jacobs in Saturday night’s middleweight unification bout at T-Mobile Arena both bolsters his case as the boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter and provides him a wealth of leverage in negotiations for his next fight.”

Canelo is well on his way to cementing his legacy as one of the best, capturing Jacobs IBF title Saturday night to add to his own WBA and WBC titles. Though as BoxingInsider.com’s Ste Rowen points out, the history of the middleweight division commands that Canelo is going to have to really do something special in order to walk the hallowed halls among boxing royalty like Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Robinson. Hagler had his war with Hearns, Canelo has questionable decision victories over Gennady Golovkin to highlight the mountain Canelo has left to climb if he wants to cement his name as one of the all-time great middleweights.

Posted on 05/06/2019

By: Waqas Ali

Saul Canelo Alvarez is on the verge of facing rival opponent Gennady Golovkin or American Demetrius Andrade.

The Mexican superstar recently defeated former world champion Daniel Jacobs in a twelve round unification bout on Saturday night.

The bout took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with over 20,000 in attendance.

Alvarez took Jacobs’ IBF middleweight title and added that to his WBA, WBC and Ring Magazine belts.

Making him one belt away from the WBO claimed by Andrade.

In the first round, both fighters were caution with their punches. Carefully not trying to get countered as they go on. In the last minute of the round, Jacobs (35-3) increased his activity level to try and steal the round.

Jacobs would take the early rounds based on his activity level and would often land some hooks on top to win rounds.

In the fourth round, Alvarez (52-1-2) came back with punches of his own and around the 43-second mark, Alvarez connected three straight left hands to Jacobs that got the pro-Alvarez crowd on the edge of their seats.

In round nine, as Alvarez continued to dominate with his power punches and swiftly providing good head movement and footwork, he was hit with a massive over-left hook by Jacobs that didn’t even drop him.

It was perhaps the most memorable punch in the entire fight.

At the end of the fight, Judges scored the fight 115-113, 115-113, 116-112 in Canelo’s favour after 12 rounds.

According to Compubox stats, Alvarez landed 188 of 466 (40%) punches thrown, whereas Jacobs landed 131 of 649 (20%) attempted.

Alvarez landed 121 of his power shots and connected at 45%. Also, in round 11 he landed 55% of his power punches.

For Jacobs, 32, this was a complete downfall statistic for him as he landed 32% in his previous eight fights. He landed 7 power shots per round in this fight with Alvarez after landing 12 per round in his previous eight fights.

Officially, Alvarez has had two bouts under the super-middleweight division and five at middleweight.

The question now remains is: Will Alvarez fight Golovkin for a third time or attempt for a fourth world title fight against Andrade?

During the build-up of the Jacob-Alvarez bout, ‘Canelo’ stated his desire to aim for the WBO belt and add to his collection.

“Nobody in Mexico has ever done that, won all four belts in one division, so that’s my motivation,” Alvarez said, before the Jacobs fight.

However, after defeating Jacobs, Alvarez is open to fighting Golovkin too.

“I’m just looking for the biggest challenge. That’s all I want. No, for me, it’s over,” he said regarding any unfinished business with Golovkin.

“But if the people want another fight, we’ll do it again, and I’ll beat him again.

“That’s why I’m here. That’s what I was born for — to fight, to defend what’s mine. I’ll fight anyone.

Gennady Golovkin is a fighter with an exceptional power ratio of 87% and known for activeness, punching ability, calculating puncher and haymaker hunting.

He had a 23 knockout win streak dating from June 2008 – March 2017.

Both fights with Alvarez were close in their respected styles and performances. Fans on the Golovkin side firmly believe that both results of the bouts were exceptional robberies.

Both GGG and Andrade have fights later this year and have to win in order to secure themselves a bout with Alvarez.
By the numbers, Golovkin who is ranked no.3 Pound for Pound (by Boxrec), throws at a high amount of 64 punches which is nine more than the average middleweight (55) and lands at 25 (39%). The average middleweight lands at just 16 (30%).

In the power punching department, Golovkin throws around 35 with a connect rate of 44%. The average middleweight throws around 31 with a rate of 37%.

With regards to Andrade, his record consists of 26 wins (16 KOs) and zero defeats.

In the amateurs, he defeated future world champions like Keith Thurman, Austin Trout and Daniel Jacobs.

The 30-year-old, who holds the WBO middleweight belt has a great sense of style of being cautionary with his combinations and as a southpaw can be a limit for his conventional opponents on landing their jab.

His body movement is a positive asset, considering the fact that he is able to move away from any return shots.

Alvarez has not faced a competitive southpaw with lateral foot movement since Erislandy Lara in July 2014 in which he only landed five jabs out of his 97 landing total. A bout with these two would be interesting.

In terms of statistical data, he throws around 60 and lands at 18 (30%). By the power punches, he attempts 32 with a connect rate of 45%.

Another fighter that has entered the debate but not on the mainstream spectrum as of yet is current WBA and Ring Magazine Super-middleweight champion. Callum Smith. The Liverpool-born fighter has a record of 25 wins and no defeats.

He’s also tall with a height 6 feet 3 inches and a reach advantage of 78 inches. Smith is known for his active punching ability and body shots. Ironically, body shots are also favouritism of Alvarez’s punching of expertise.
Especially the left hook to the body.

His notable opponents that he defeated are Rocky Fielding & George Groves.

According to a poll conducted by Editinking, out of 5,100 plus voters, 59% chose Alvarez to beat Smith and 41% for the English fighter.

Canelo vs Callum Smith

90,000 Wembley Stadium

Who wins at super middleweight?

— EditinKing Boxing (@EditinKing) May 5, 2019

The boxing world is up and rolling by naming who should Alvarez fight next. Both fights are interesting as many of the Golovkin fans want to see vengeance taken against the Mexican based on the last two disputed results. Politics is a dangerous game and has a long history with boxing. Going as far as 150 years ago. Andrade is in a good position as he could prove how much has in value of his style and skills against one of the biggest names in boxing today. Though he did not manage to prove his name against Billy Joe Saunders but no doubt against Alvarez, it will be a mega-fight. Smith is a good name and also a possible threat to Alvarez. He’s tall and possesses good power to really knock his opponent off the canvas. Being England and his hometown of Liverpool, the fight would definitely be a huge sell in the UK. Venues like the Echo Arena, Manchester Arena, O2 or even Wembley stadium would be a big attraction. Liverpool is a passionate crowd for their heroes and figures and are always behind them. It wouldn’t be a surprise to many if a crowd was a majority pro-Smith rather than pro-Alvarez in the UK.

Posted on 05/06/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) didn’t just prove that he is the best Middleweight in his division but, he also showed that he is the best fighter in the world.

This past Saturday night on Cinco De Mayo, Canelo successfully defeated Daniel Jacobs (35-3, 29 KOs). The win added yet another title around the Mexican superstar’s waist. Canelo now holds the WBA, WBC, IBF and Ring magazine Middleweight titles.

For as great as Canelo has been in his career, there has always been a few lingering question marks. His resume is filled with wins over great fighters, this is true. However, it is also filled with a bit of controversy as well. Wins over Erislandy Lara and Gennady Golovkin (GGG) are sometimes questions. Favorable judging has also been the narrative surrounding the three division world champion. Some have questioned his place amongst the elite of the boxing world today. These anecdotes can be put to bed.

Now former, IBF Middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs is a great fighter, one that provided Canelo the platform to showcase that he is the best in the world.

Jacobs has the full package. The power to stop any boxer dead in their tracks, and the boxing ability to out skill them as well. You name it and Jacobs possesses it. Although their fight which took place in front of over 20,000 fans at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, Nevada was a nip and tuck affair, Alvarez dominated for long stretches and made it clear who the better fighter was.

We all understand what happens now. Canelo will be given no opportunity to enjoy his victory, instead the immediate question will be, who should he take on next? Canelo will have no shortage of opponents to choose from.

Undefeated WBO title holder Demetrius Andrade (27-0, 17 KOs) is a name that has been on the tongue’s of many of the fans. He may not be the biggest name but he very well could be the biggest threat. How about Jermall Charlo? Not only does he also boast an unblemished record consisting of 28 wins with 21 stoppages but he also holds the mandatory position for Canelo’s WBC title.

Last but certainly not least is GGG. There is a reason why the former unified champion was in attendance this past Saturday night. A third installment between these two would certainly present fireworks once again.

Whomever the Mexican megastar takes on next will undoubtedly present him with a challenge. That aforementioned challenge is one that he will be well equip for.

Canelo Alvarez has been the face of boxing for a number of years now. He was also considered one of the very best fighters in the world. However, with his penchant to not only take on but defeat the best fighters out there, he has now elevated himself to another level. His victory over Daniel Jacobs has now cemented him as the best fighter in the entire world.

Posted on 05/05/2019

By: William Holmes

The main event of tonight’s card was between Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2) and Daniel Jacobs (35-2) for the WBC, WBA, and IBF Middleweight Titles.

Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Promotions put on this event, and it was streamed live on the DAZN Streaming network.

Daniel Jacobs had a clause in his contract where he was only allowed to weigh in at 170lbs the day after the weigh ins, but he came in at 173.6lbs and had to pay a fine of 250k per pound.

But that may have been done on purpose, as this was the biggest fight of his career.

Carlos Rivera sung the Mexican National Anthem and Lisa Marie Smith sung the national anthem of the United States.

Daniel Jacobs entered the ring first after what appeared to be some technical difficulties with the audio from DAZN, and Canelo entered second to a loud chorus of cheers.

The following is a round by round recap of tonight’s main event.

Photo Credit: Golden Boy Boxing Twitter Account

Round 1:

Jacobs looked like he has a significant height advantage when they met in the middle for prefight instructions. Both boxers are in an orthodox stance. Canelo has a knee pad on his left knee. Canelo paws out a jab at Jacobs. Canelo misses high with a left hook. Jacobs is circling away from Canelo and flicks out a jab. Jacobs flicks out another jab. Jacobs lands two jabs followed by a right cross to the body. Canelo lands a hard right ot the body. Canelo bounces a left hook off the high guard of Jacobs. Jacobs is active with his jab to the head and body of Canelo. Good right to the body by Canelo. Jacobs looks a little weary of Canelo’s power. Jacobs lands two shots to the body of Canelo. Jacobs switches to a southpaw stance, but then goes back to an orthodox stance. Close tight round, Canelo may have landed the harder shots.

10-9 Canelo.

Round 2:

Jacobs throws out two pawing jabs. Jacobs with another double jab and Canelo answers with a left hook upstairs. Canelo lands a good right to the body of Jacobs. Jacobs lands two quick jabs. Canelo comes in with a right hook behind a feint. Jacobs jab to the body is accurate. A jab from Canelo gets Jacobs off balance. Canelo lands a good left hook to the body of Jacobs. Jacobs lands a short right to the body. Jacobs lands two good hooks to the body of Canelo. Canelo lands a good right hand upstairs and follows it up with two uppercuts to the body. Canelo barely misses with a left uppercut and Jacobs makes him pay with a combination to the body. Good jabs from Jacobs. Good shots by both at the end of the round.

10-9 Canelo, 20-18 Canelo

Round 3:

Canelo flicks out a jab at Jacobs and has him backing up early. Canelo pressing forward and Jacobs attempts to keep him away with a jab to the body. Jacobs switches to a southpaw stance and throws out a straight left hand. Jacobs lands two jabs to the body and Canelo lands a short right hook. Canelo lands a hard body head combination on Jacobs. Canelo seems to be finding his groove. Jacobs then answers with a good combination in the middle of the ring. Jacobs with three straight jabs followed by a short right hook. Jacobs ducks under a Canelo right hook. Canelo lands a jab to the body of Jacobs and Jacobs answers with two shots of his own to the body. Good left hook to Jacobs’s chin by Canelo. Jacobs paws out two jabs on Canelo and Canelo answers with an uppercut to the body.

10-9 Canelo, 30-27 Canelo.

Round 4:

Canelo is showing good upper body movement. Canelo partially connects with a three punch combination. Jacobs is sticking to his jab. Jacobs is very active with his jab, but not landing any hard punches. Jacobs barely misses with a straight right hand. Jacobs throws out two jabs followed by a hook to the body. Canelo lands a good sweeping right hook to the body of Jacobs. Jacobs with a jab followed by a left hook. Canelo lands a clean straight right to the chin of Jacobs. Canelo is a hard target to hit and landing from good angles. Canelo lands a rising left hook on Jacobs. Canelo’s upper body movement is making it very difficult for Jacobs to land a punch. Canelo had a great round.

10-9 Canelo, 40-36 Canelo.

Round 5:

Jacobs misses wildly with a three punch combination. Canelo continues to slip the punches of Jacobs. Canelo continues to come forward while showing great upper body movement. Canelo lands two good hooks to the body of Jacobs. Canelo flicks out three straight quick jabs. Canelo lands a sharp quick jab. Canelo’s jabs are landing while Jacobs is using his more as a range finder. Canelo looks to be in complete control. Canelo lands a jab and follows it with a two punch combination. Canelo lands a good left to the body of Jacobs. They get a little bit chippy as the round ends.

10-9 Canelo, 50-45 Canelo.

Round 6:

Canelo still pressing forward and showing excellent upper body movement. Canelo barely misses with a lead left hook. Canelo is outlanding Jacobs 60-43 at this point in the fight. Canelo able to easily avoid the combination of Jacobs. Canelo follows a jab with a connecting lead left hook. Jacobs able to land a few shots on Canelo when in close. Canelo lands a good reaching jab. Jacobs goes into a southpaw stance. Jacobs still can’t find his target even in a southpaw stance. Canelo with a good right hook to the body of Jacobs. Canelo still stalking Jacobs. Jacobs lands two short hooks to the body of Canelo. Canelo lands a good uppercut on Jacobs.

10-9 Canelo, 60-54 Canelo

Round 7:

Jacobs starts off this round in a southpaw stance. Canelo pressing forward on Jacobs still and has Jacobs on the run. Canelo lands a good hook to the body after a straight right hand misses. Canelo has Jacobs back against the ropes and gets in a few shots to the body. Jacobs paws with the jab in a southpaw stance. Canelo looks fresh despite using a lot of energy. Jacobs lands a good short right hook, perhaps his best punch of the night. Jacobs has Canelo’s back against the ropes and lands a few punches to the body. Jacobs remains in a southpaw stance. Jacobs is keeping his jab in the face of Canelo and lands a left to the body of Canelo. Jacobs throws his jab in the face of Canelo but eats a counter left hook. Canelo lands another hook to the body and Jacobs throws out a flurry as round ends.

Closer round, but still 10-9 Canelo, 70-63 Canelo.

Round 8:

Jacobs is back in an orthodox stance. Canelo still pressing forward and digs in two hooks to the body of Jacobs. Canelo connects with a lead left hook and Jacobs answers with a short uppercut. Jacobs just can’t find his target with his punches. Canelo’s defense is masterful at this point. Jacobs misses with a three punch combination badly. Canelo lands a good short left hook. Jacobs has Canelo back to the ropes and lands a combination to the body and head. Canelo lands a hard left hook that may have stunned Jacobs. Canelo is landing some heavy shots as Jacobs tries to open up his offense. Canelo is hurting Jacobs. Canelo with a good body head combination. Jacobs was on the offensive as round ends, but still a Canelo round.

10-9 Canelo, 80-72 Canelo.

Round 9:

Canelo comes out aggressive this round behind his jab. Canelo barely misses with a straight right hand and Jacobs goes in a southpaw stance. Jacobs throwing out a lot of right jabs in the face of Jacobs. Jacobs’s straight lefts look weak though from this position. Canelo lands a heavy punch to the body of Jacobs. Jacobs gets tagged with a left hook as he lunges forward. Canelo with more heavy body shots. Canelo lands a good straight right to the chin of Jacobs. Good left hook by Canelo followed by a combination. Jacobs lands a short left hook and snaps the head of Canelo with a heavy right hand. Jacobs is back in an orthodox stance. Jacobs takes a deep breath then throws out a combination and lands a few good punches. Better round for Jacobs.

10-9 Jacobs; 89-82 Canelo.

Round 10:

Canelo presses forward to start the tenth round. Jacobs is in a southpaw stance. Canelo lands a good jab in the face of Jacobs. Jacobs has Canelo’s back near the ropes and lands a few shots in tight. Canelo lands a hard right hand on Jacobs in the middle of the ring. Canelo lands a good left hook to the body of Jacobs. Canelo flicks out a sharp jab and follows it with a hook upstairs. Good exchange in the middle of the ring and Jacobs may have landed the harder punches. Canelo is clearly out boxing though. Jacobs has Canelo back against the ropes and lands some good punches to the body and head. Canelo barely misses with a looping left hook. Jacobs goes back into a southpaw stance. Canelo lands a good straight right.

10-9 Canelo; 99-91 Caenlo.

Round 11:

Jacobs clearly needs a knockout to win this fight. Canelo lands a good heavy left hook to the body. Jacobs is back in an orthodox stance but then switches to a southpaw stance. Canelo bounces a right hook off the guard of Jacobs. Canelo lands a good straight right hand on Jacobs. Canelo lands a clean jab. Jacobs lands a combination to the body of Canelo. Canelo isn’t really bothered by the punches of Jacobs. Canelo bounces two jabs off the face of Jacobs. Crowd booing the action in the ring. Canelo lands a straight right hand. Jacobs lands two punches upstairs but then Canelo ties up. Canelo lands a short right uppercut followed by two jabs. Announcer says Jacobs is having a good eleventh round but he’s not landing any punches of note. Canelo lands a hard right hand. Canelo clearly wins this round.

10-9 Canelo, 109-100 Canelo.

Round 12:

Jaobs is in an orthodox stance, but probably needs a knockout to win. Jacobs badly misses with a left hook and slips to the mat. Jacobs complains about a wet spot in the middle of the ring and the referee dries off the mat. Canelo looks like the fresher fighter. Canelo lands a hard left hook and Jacobs lands at air. Jacobs has Canelo’s back near the ropes but misses and Canelo is able to get Jacobs to back up with combinations. Good straight right by Canelo. Canelo lands a hard uppercut on Jacobs. Crowd is starting to boo the action in the ring again. Jacobs misses with a looping hook to the body of Canelo. Jacobs is unable to score a knockout in the final round.

10-9 Canelo; 119-109 Canelo.

The judges scored the bout 115-113, 115-113, and 116-112 for Canelo Alvarez.

Posted on 05/02/2019

By: Rahat Haque

Canelo Alvarez and Danny Jacobs will be facing each other this Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena at Las Vegas. Even though a GGG vs Canelo III makes more sense based on popular demand, we know styles makes fights in boxing. Thus, this title unification fight between two of the best names at 160 was inevitable. The fans want the best to fight the best, and so this should be treat to watch. UK viewers will be able to watch the match at Sky Sports, US viewers will be able to see the fight at the new sports streaming service DAZN. It is partner of both Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Sport and it even secured the ring announcing services of Michael Buffer.

Photo Credit: Tom Hogan-Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions

The game of boxing provides many twists and turns. Dmitry Pirog was able to knockout Danny Jacobs in the 5th round in July 2010. Jacobs would fight twice more before being diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in 2011, a form of bone cancer. Pirog on the other hand, would be forced into an early retirement only 3 fights later in 2012, after not being able to recuperate from a ruptured disc. But shortly after, in that same year, Jacobs made a full recovery and scored a TKO in his comeback win against Josh Luteran. Jacobs has not looked back ever since, only losing to the formidable and excellent Gennday Golovkin. He especially caught boxing’s eye with his first round knock out of Peter Quillin, who was very much a budding star himself at 160 until then. After that happened, Peter took a long break before coming back to fight again, and has avoided the limelight since then. Perhaps the morale here is, we do not always know what life throws at us, it is beyond our control. Boxing imitates life in this fashion. We also are unsure what will transpire inside the squared circle. From the outset, Canelo is a huge favorite. It would seem that the Cinderella man, or The Miracle Man as Jacobs is dubbed, is in for a defeat.

It is not that Canelo cannot be beaten. Floyd Mayweather beat him fair and square, using his skills and stamina to full use. Erislandy Lara and Austin Trout gave him good bouts, finding success on the outside, and using their athleticism to outwork Canelo to a great degree. But when it comes to landing the most decisive blows, Canelo is unmatched. He does not waste any effort. He is willing engager on the inside and out, with underrated defense via parrying and head movement. But he does stop to take breaks in between rounds, which would have lit up Jacob’s eyes. The Matchroom fighter will look to capitalize on these cessations against the Golden Boy fighter, hoping to catch him by surprise. But if Canelo could withstand GGG’s power, he should be able to do the same with Jacobs. But Jacobs is quicker on his feet than GGG, which should give him angles GGG could not exploit in his fight with Canelo. Actually, the more you look into it, it is not that Canelo is the best or most dominant fighter, it’s just that he knows how to get wins. He has the science of winning boxing matches down packed. There was a sizeable contingent of fans objecting to the decisions in the Lara and GGG encounters, who felt it was closer than the refs saw it, or that it could have even gone the other way! But Canelo and his camp will be quick to remind you that it is him who always ends up landing the cleaner and crisper shots, while doing more to make the other fighter miss. Basically, he has gotten very good at doing to others what Mayweather did to him. This does not make him fearsome, but makes him nearly unbeatable. There is also the notion among fans that any close decisions always go to him, being Golden Boy’s cash cow.

From Danny Jacob’s perspective, he has nothing to lose. He along with Gennady, Canelo and Andrade are the four fighters at middleweight who all pass the eye test. If he is not fighting these guys in the division, then there is no point of him hanging around. Billy Joe Saunders was another name in the division, but he has moved up to 168 after not being able to make the cut anymore at middleweight. In order to cause the upset and come out with a victory against Canelo, he has to use his massive height advantage. If Jacobs really wants to win, he has to become a jab first fighter, which he is not. He is known more for his hooks, and his first instinct would be to step inside and trade with Canelo. He may take a few of Canelo’s shots to slip in a few of his heavy hooks. The only problem with such a strategy is it keeps the fight at a pace favorable to Canelo. As long as they are both trading, Canelo would be confident in landing the more effective punches before changing angles on Jacobs. But if Jacobs fights behind his jab the whole night, he has the potential to frustrate Canelo, forcing the Mexican superstar into some mistakes. There is one small problem with this logic however, which is Canelo has an excellent jab himself! But if Danny wants to win, he will have to fight a fight he never fought before. Despite what happens in the T-Mobile Arena this weekend, both fighters need to fight Demetrius Andrade pretty soon. Like Jacobs, Andrade is signed to Matchroom which should facilitate negotiations.