One of the most heated rivalries in boxing history will finally reach its conclusion Saturday when Canelo Alvarez defends the undisputed super middleweight championship against Gennadiy Golovkin at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (DAZN PPV, 8 p.m. ET).
The third fight between Canelo and GGG comes four years after their rematch, which Alvarez narrowly won via majority decision. What started out as a respectful meeting between two of the sport’s top boxers — and biggest stars — became altogether personal following the controversy of the first battle, which ended in a disputed split draw.
A positive PED test for Alvarez in March 2018 that postponed the rematch cast more bad blood into the mix, and suddenly, the fighters began to loathe one another. After their second meeting, numerous attempts to finalize a hotly anticipated trilogy fight stalled until now, five years — and eight pounds — after they squared off for the first time.
Now, they find themselves in vastly different places. Golovkin was a longtime middleweight champion when he entered the ring in September 2017 and was even the betting favorite. Now, he is the underdog, five months beyond his 40th birthday. It may be the final fight of the Kazakh’s Hall of Fame career.
Alvarez, meanwhile, heads into the third meeting on the heels of an upset loss to Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight, yet still in his prime. Standing at the height of his powers, Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) is one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world, and 168 pounds appears to be the 32-year-old Mexican’s most comfortable weight.
“It’s personal for me because he talks [about] a lot of things,” Alvarez said of this third fight against Golovkin. “I just can’t wait to be in the ring.”
Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 KOs) is being counted out by some, but he has proved through 24 rounds that he knows how to fight Alvarez. And besides, the vitriol could help even out what age has taken away.
Finally, we’re here, days away from a third fight many fans thought would never materialize. Alvarez vs. Golovkin, one last time, with all four super middleweight titles at stake. How did Canelo and GGG finally arrive at the conclusion of their bitter feud?
Here’s how the fight was made.
Nov. 21, 2015: Alvarez, a former 154-pound champion, challenged middleweight champ Miguel Cotto, adding to the great legacy of fights between Mexico and Puerto Rico. With a unanimous-decision victory at a catchweight of 155 pounds, Alvarez claimed the WBC middleweight title, placing him on a collision course with Golovkin, who was tearing through the division with KO after KO.
One month earlier, Golovkin unified the WBA and IBF middleweight titles with an eighth-round TKO of David Lemieux.
May 7, 2016: Alvarez retained his title with a brutal KO of Amir Khan in his fifth consecutive fight at the 155-pound catchweight. Afterward, Golovkin entered the ring and Alvarez said, “Let’s fight now.”
May 6, 2017: Alvarez cruised to a shutout decision over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a mismatch. The bout was a 165-pound catchweight, Alvarez’s first above 155 pounds. Afterward, Golovkin met Alvarez in the ring and their highly anticipated showdown was formally announced.
“Golovkin, you are next, my friend,” Alvarez said. “The fight is done. I’ve never feared anyone since I was 15, fighting as a professional. When I was born, fear was gone.”
Sept. 16, 2017: Alvarez and Golovkin finally met in a long-awaited battle for middleweight supremacy. The bout lived up to the immense hype, a back-and-forth fight with plenty of power shots, though neither man was ever in serious trouble owing to their incredible chins. Alvarez attempted to counter Golovkin, who was the aggressor.
One judge scored the bout even at 114-114, another saw it for Golovkin 115-113, while Adelaide Byrd handed in a ludicrous 118-110 card in favor of Alvarez, setting off a firestorm of controversy that left GGG seething.
“[The scoring] is not my fault,” Golovkin said. “I put pressure on him every round. Look, I still have all the belts. I am still the champion.”
Said Alvarez: “I think I won eight rounds. I felt that I won the fight. I think I was superior in the ring. … I was able to counterpunch and made Gennadiy wobble at least three times. If we fight again, it’s up to the people. I feel frustrated over my draw.”
One of the richest fights in boxing history, Alvarez and Golovkin sold more than $27 million in tickets and north of 1.3 million pay-per-view buys.
Jan. 29, 2018: After a drawn-out negotiation, the rematch is formally announced for May 5.
“I am ready to battle Canelo again and am happy he took this fight again,” Golovkin said. “This is the fight the world wants. This is the fight boxing deserves. I didn’t agree with some of the judges’ decisions in the first fight. This time there will be no doubt. I am leaving the ring as the middleweight champion of the world.”
Said Alvarez: “I’m delighted to once again participate in one of the most important boxing events in history. This second fight is for the benefit and pleasure of all fans who desire to see the best fight the best. This time, Golovkin won’t have any excuses regarding the judges because I’m coming to knock him out.”
