Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara: Aftermath

CaneloLara_Hoganphotos1(Picture credit: Hogan Photos) By Gerardo Granados: It was not a surprise to see what happen last night at MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada in the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara fight. But it was really disappointing to see Erislandy Lara shutting off not only one or two rounds but the entire fight, it was like watching an amateur fight and at the end it turned out quite boring to watch.

According to the current rules to score a bout on the 10 must system Lara did enough to win, I scored the fight 115-113 for him with two difficult rounds to score. Fight judge Levi Martinez had it 117- 111 but I believe the fight was a lot closer than that, maybe Levi had a different angle of the fight.

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Wasted Opportunities – Why Lara should have done much more against Canelo

CaneloLara_Hoganphotos2(Picture credit: Hogan Photos) by J.R. Leon: After the overall lackluster performances by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Erislandy Lara during last nights’ Showtime pay-per-view event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was quite obvious that Lara’s game plan was to mimic Floyd Mayweather Jr. and use the “stick and move” strategy, which Mayweather Jr. used beautifully against Alvarez last September.

Unfortunately for Lara, his game plan didn’t pan out as he hoped, losing a questionable split decision and once again pushing him back into the second tier of boxing, when it comes to promotional backing.

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De La Hoya: No one wants a rematch, Canelo is moving on

Canelo Alvarez vs Erislandy Lara(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Dan Ambrose: Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya has ruled out any chance of a rematch taking place between Cuban Erislandy Lara (19-2-2, 12 KO’s) and De La Hoya’s fighter Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KO’s) after Canelo dodged a bullet tonight in beat Lara by a 12 round split decision at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

De La Hoya took the crowd approval of the final judges’ scores as a mandate that boxing fans don’t want to see a rematch between the two fighters.

De La Hoya said “What I heard from everyone is that no one wants a rematch, there’s ten guys waiting in line. Lara has to wait in line. Canelo won tonight and now we have to move on.”

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Canelo wins controversial decision over Lara in Las Vegas

Canelo Alvarez vs Erislandy Lara(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Chris Williams: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KO’s) won a 12 round split decision over Erislandy Lara (19-2-2, 12 KO’s) in a fight that Lara appeared to but was given the shaft at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. I don’t blame Lara for the loss.

I pretty much blame Lara’s trainer Ronnie Shields, because he should have been lighting a fire under Lara’s backside by telling him that he wasn’t going to win a decision against a popular fighter like Canelo unless he hit him with everything but the kitchen sink. You don’t beat a guy that means as much to boxing as Canelo unless you trounce him, and Lara didn’t do that tonight. He dominated the 23-year-old Canelo and made him look almost as bad as Floyd Mayweather Jr did, but he didn’t totally humiliate him the way he probably needed to in order to get the two judges that scored it for Canelo to give it to Lara.

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Canelo beats Lara by split decision

Canelo Alvarez vs Erislandy Lara(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Dan Ambrose: Former WBA/WBC light middleweight champion Saul “Canelp” Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KO’s) defeated Erislandy Lara (19-2-2, 12 KO’s) by 12 round split decision on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The final judges scores were 115-113, 117-111 for Canelo and 115-113 for Lara.

Canelo reported rehydrated to 171 pounds from the 155 that he weighed in at on Friday.

The judge that scored the fight 117-111 for Canelo appeared to be watching a completely different fight tonight because there’s no way Canelo won the fight by that score. I had Lara winning the fight.

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De La Hoya says Canelo plans on punishing Lara

delahoya7777By Dan Ambrose: Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya says that he spoke with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO’s) at Friday’s weigh-in and Canelo promised him at that time that he’s going to punish WBA junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) in tonight’s fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

De La Hoya says Canelo is worked up over Lara supposedly insulting his countryman, as well as his insults about him and his lack of boxing skills.

De La Hoya says he’s never seen the 23-year-old Canelo this upset before during his career. De La Hoya doesn’t say what Lara specifically said to him at the weigh-in other than looking at Canelo in a dismissive manner that suggested that Canelo is well beneath him in talent.

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Lara: I plan on putting Canelo in the dirt

Erislandy Lara(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Dan Ambrose: WBA junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) says he’s going to pick his opponent Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) apart tonight and leave him on the canvas among the dirt at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lara says he always likes to fight guys that plod towards him the way that the Canelo will be likely doing tonight, because it gives him the opportunity to nail them with straight left hands and right hooks to the head while they’re marching forward.

Lara expects Canelo to walk into a lot of shots when they meet up in their catch-weight fight at 155 tonight on Showtime pay-per-view. If Canelo chooses not to pressure him and instead tries to box him, Lara feels that will make it just as easy because boxing is his game. He feels that he does well equally against boxers as well as pressure fighters.

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Is Canelo not moving to 160 because of Golovkin?

Canelo Alvarez(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Chris Williams: In looking at how heavy Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) has been in his last several fights in rehydrating to over 170 pounds, and how he’s asked to fight his last two fights at a catch-weight of 155 [middleweight], the question that you have to ask is why isn’t Canelo moving up to middleweight to compete with guys in that division? 155 = middleweight, and it seems strange that Canelo is melting off 20 pounds to continue to fight against guys that he’s heavier than in the junior middleweight division.

I’m just curious about what’s the problem Canelo has in fighting guys his own size in the middleweight division as Gennady Golovkin? I know they sparred together in the past, and Golovkin said afterwards that Canelo was a “Good boy,” but is there some kind of problem with Canelo not wanting to face guys in this division?

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Canelo needs to beat Lara to keep his marquee name, says Malignaggi

Canelo and Lara(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Chris Williams: Showtime commentator Paulie Malignaggi believes that the 23-year-old Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) will remain a popular and championship level fighter even if he gets clowned tonight by WBA junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO’s) in Canelo’s requested catch-weight of 155 pounds, but as far as him being a marquee name, he’s going to take a hit in that area.

Malignaggi doesn’t see it possible for Canelo to continue to be a marquee fighter with him taking losses left and right each time he steps up against the very best. While Malignaggi gives Canelo a pat on the back for beating slow as molasses fighters like Alfredo Angulo, he notes that Angulo was perfect for Canelo due to his very, very slow style of fighting.

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Canelo-Lara: Judging so important for tonight

Canelo Alvarez(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Gav Duthie: The last thing boxing needs tonight is another controversial decision. Apart from the boxers themselves the three most important people in a fight like this are the judges. When Saul Alvarez 43-1-1 (31) fights Erislandy Lara 19-1-2 (12) it is highly likely that they will be needed. We would all like to think that the best fighter will win the fight but history tells us this is not often the case. 

Unfortunately in the murky world of boxing a fighters marketability often dictates who wins a close decision. The judges for the fight this evening are seasoned veterans Dave Moretti, Jerry Roth and Levi Martinez. These men have judged over 2000 fights between them and I am extremely hopeful that they will ensure the best man will win.

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