According to a press-row poll of 58 reporters taken after Saturday’s middleweight title fight between Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez, only two had Alvarez winning at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Some 39 had Golovkin winning, 17 others scored it a draw.
It’s still not controversial, not when a fight is close. And it was very, very close.
Instead of bemoaning the judges’ scorecards that awarded Alvarez a majority decision and Golovkin’s titles, we should be celebrating what was a darn good fight between two tough hombres.
Remember how so many – including yours truly – ripped Alvarez for running so much during their first fight a year ago at T-Mobile? He sure as heck didn’t run this time. Far from it. Alvarez went toe-to-toe with a man who once had 23 consecutive knockouts, a man considered by many to be one of the most-feared fighters in the world.
We should be praising that, rather than beefing about the idea that Golovkin has a split-draw and loss to show for two fine efforts against Alvarez.
Yes, Golovkin should have been scored the winner the first time around. But we can’t let that cloud our objectivity regarding Saturday’s rematch.
Alvarez gave us what we were hopeful he would give us the first time. Even Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer, admits to that.
“I expected Canelo to come out and give us this type of fight; he was goaded into it,” Sanchez said post-fight. “… That’s the kind of fight I expected. That’s the kind of fight fans expected.”
It’s hard to know how Golovkin must feel about putting his heart and soul into two big fights, only to not have his hand raised in victory. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give Alvarez kudos for doing something few of us thought he could do – stay in the middle of the ring with Golovkin and throw down without getting knocked out.
He did that and there is no way anyone should try to take that away from him.
Is it still a bummer that Alvarez twice tested positive for the PED clenbuterol earlier this year, thus postponing what should have been a May 5 rematch? Of course, it is.
But he has since been clean, as far as we know at this point, so let’s start thinking about the trilogy. It should happen, if fairness still exists.
Golovkin certainly wants another go-round.
“Yes, of course, we would like to have a third fight,” he said.
Mind you, Golovkin told this newspaper in late July at his training camp in Big Bear that if there were no more challenges to keep him excited about fighting, this past Saturday’s fight could be his last.
Well, you can bet he still feels the burning inside of him after not getting the decision. That’s not to mention the defeat broke his string of 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses, a record he shares with Bernard Hopkins. Saturday was also Golovkin’s first loss.
Certainly, he doesn’t want his career to end like that.
“As a fighter, as a boxer, I will continue to do my job,” Golovkin said post-fight. “I will continue to work to prove I am the best.”
Sanchez believes another bout should be in demand.
“I think the public wants a third fight,” he said.
Alvarez is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. We sent Golden Boy president Eric Gomez a text Thursday, inquiring as to whether Oscar De La Hoya’s company is interested in putting together a third fight.
Gomez responded quickly: “Yes, but need Canelo’s input.”
Since both fighters were cut Saturday, chances are they wouldn’t be able to hook up again until sometime next year, even though Alvarez has already said he wants to try to fight again in December. Gomez said that’s the plan, but that Alvarez would need a doctor’s clearance.
Also, that December fight would more than likely be against someone other than Golovkin – perhaps David Lemieux, Gomez said.
The problem with waiting is Golovkin is going to be 37 in April and Alvarez is only 28. So the sooner, the better.
Gomez calls
After texting with Gomez, he returned a call. He wanted to remind us that he tried to accommodate the Golovkin side as much as possible for the rematch. Even though judge Dave Moretti scored Golovkin the winner in the first fight (115-113), Gomez said he accepted Moretti for the second one, which Moretti scored for Alvarez 115-113.
Gomez also said that the Golovkin side rejected Tony Weeks as the referee for this past Saturday, with Benjy Esteves Jr. getting the nod.
“We didn’t want any excuses after the fight,” Gomez said.
For the record, I scored Saturday’s fight a 114-114 draw. I had Golovkin winning the first one 115-113.
Etc.
Anthony Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs) of England on Saturday will defend his three heavyweight titles against Alexander Povetkin (34-1, 24 KOs) of Russia from Wembley Stadium in London (on DAZN). … Former welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (32-6-3, 25 KOs) of Ventura and contender John Molina Jr. (30-7, 24 KOs) of Covina will square off Sept. 30 in the welterweight main event at Citizens Business Bank Arena (on Fox Sports 1).
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