Lara vs. Canelo was more accurately a draw

canelo783By Bob Smith: The fight yesterday between Erislandy Lara and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez was a good one, in fact, all that the pre-fight hype suggested it would be. It was an even fight, and this is no surprise, and each fighter clearly won four of the rounds in my opinion – Lara took rounds 1, 3, 10, and 11, while Alvarez took 4, 5, 8, and 9.

Both of the first two judges’ scorecards were reasonable, and actually, on first view, I had Canelo winning by two points, but then, looking more closely, I had either Lara by two points or a draw. The one scorecard that was completely unbelievable was the 117-111 card by Martinez, that was a complete joke.

read more

Canelo-Lara scoring

lara6734By Juni A Rosa: 117-112. That was my scorecard for the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara fight that the announcers thought (from one judge giving it 117-111) was absurd. How I score is by effectiveness and who seems to be advancing.

The first 2 rounds I saw Lara boxing well, using movements making Canelo miss many of his shots, being frustrated and even desperate. In the 3rd round, I saw Canelo starting to push it, applying more effective pressure and winning that round. From then on, Lara seemed to do more dancing then fighting.

read more

Mayweather and Lara’s styles trouble Canelo

lara7By Idris Morrey: The recent fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs) and Erislandy Lara (19-2-2, 12 KOs) has sparked debates not only on the controversy surrounding the judging but also on fighting styles last night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Canelo stated clearly that he did not come to compete in a marathon and he expected his opponent to stand toe-to-toe for the bout. Alvarez seem to have learned little from the Floyd Mayweather Jr schooling as his dismal display showed he had problems finding Lara last night.

read more

Erislandy Lara: I want a rematch with Canelo

By Dan Ambrose: Erislandy Lara (19-2-2, 12 KO’s) isn’t too happy today after losing to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KO’s) by a 12 round split decision last night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lara made Canelo look bad for much of the fight with his punch and move technique made popular by Floyd Mayweather Jr.

read more

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.

read more

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.

read more

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.”

read more

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.

read more

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.

read more

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.

read more