After twelve excellent rounds of extremely high level boxing, Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez drew in Las Vegas. While it wasn’t an all out war, the fight was a very satisfying display at the highest order of the sport. I don’t think anyone will complain about the now inevitable rematch, but Adelaid Byrd’s 118-110 scorecard was a disgrace.
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For he first few rounds of the fight, Canelo was spectacular in his counters to the body. Anything Gennady Golovkin threw was slipped and ripped downstairs. For the first time that I had ever seen, Triple G was extremely hesitant, nervous, and altogether unsure of himself. It was really strange to watch after years and years of Golovkin dominance.
The middle rounds of the fight marked a a shift in the action, however, as GGG’s constant forward pressure began to eat away at Canelo. The Mexican superstar was still landing huge here and there, but he was being pushed back to the point that it could have appeared that he was borderline running at moments.
Still, Canelo came out and fired away, especially in the opening in the minute of the rounds late in the fight. This made some of the rounds very difficult to score. Canelo would win the first 45 seconds big, but Golvokin would slowly and methodically control the last two minutes. Canelo probably used this tactic to some success to win a few late rounds and salvage the draw.
I scored the fight 115-113 Golovkin. Harold Lederman scored it 116-112. One judge came back 114-114, another 115-113 Golvokin, but Adalaide Byrd’s 118-110 was just a disgrace. I do look forward to the rematch though.
