By Carl Pottorff: September 16, 2017 was a special night for boxing fans across the world. What transpired was both exciting and controversial. A draw between two great boxers, rounded out by an awful 118-110 card favoring Canelo Alvarez, which sent the boxing world into a tizzy.
Regardless of how the boxing public viewed it, the record books will always show a draw as the official result. I had scored it 116-112 in favor of Golovkin, and a few people have argued that a draw was justified. A rematch was necessary and that’s what boxing fans will get on May 5, 2018.
There is money to be made off of this rematch, and money will be made, but is a rematch really going to settle the score? The answer is no, unless Canelo or Golovkin knocks out the other. This will become a trilogy with the third fight probably happening in September 2018.
What is disappointing about this rematch isn’t so much that the first fight ended in a draw, it’s that the rematch will see an older Golovkin and a Canelo still very much in his prime. That’s not to say Golovkin does not stand a chance, as he is very effective at cutting off the ring and possesses a very hard jab. It’s more or less knowing that Canelo will utilize movement much more than he did in the first fight.
In their first meeting it was clear that Canelo was the faster fighter. Nearly every time Golovkin wound up to throw a big shot, Canelo was able to dodge and move away or counter. Canelo’s ability to move away from Golovkin’s big shots forced Golovkin to work his jab and win rounds using his jab.
What benefited Golovkin the most was Canelo’s stamina problem. Golovkin operates like a machine at times, moving forward, pressing his opponent, and picking the right times to throw punches. Canelo is great in flurries, but as seen in his fight with Golovkin, he has a hard time keeping a tempo.
I have rewatched that fight twice and each time I notice how well Canelo started, particularly in the first two rounds. He was quicker and sharper than Golovkin. He was able to land combos and keep Golovkin at bay. It was noticeable though, how cautious Golovkin was in his approach. He was aware of Canelo’s power, but his hesitation allowed Canelo to throw and land successfully with power shots.
Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer, commented after the fight that Golovkin did not fully employ the game plan that was drawn up to combat Canelo. Sanchez may have known that regardless of Canelo’s power, Golovkin needed to press him and make him throw punches in uncomfortable situations.
I see Canelo winning by points. Whether he does that with ease or struggles to do so, it will become even more apparent that Golovkin’s best days are behind him. I am a fan of Golovkin, he’s my favorite boxer, but reality needs to be accepted. Canelo is in the perfect position to hand Golovkin his first professional loss.
I am excited for the rematch, but not nearly as excited as I was when the first fight was announced. Still, on May 5th, I will be glued to a television watching these two warriors going head to head again.