Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez fight Saturday September,16 at the T-Mobile Arena for the WBC World middleweight title.
Gennady Golovkin enters this fight with a 37-0 record that includes 33 knockouts. This will be Golovkin’s fourth fight since 2016, and he’s coming off a March win over Daniel Jacobs. Golovkin will fight for the second time this year and will make a strong case as the best pound for pound fighter in the world with a victory here. Golovkin is 35 years old, stands at 5’10” with a 70 inch reach and has an orthodox stance. Golovkin has looked pretty much flawless throughout his career but had his hiccups in his last fight. GGG wasn't as aggressive with his power shots as usual and you could make the argument Jacobs was the aggressor with the only difference in the fight being a fourth round knockdown. Still, Golovkin is one of the more balanced boxers in the sport right now, as his chin is proven and his power power has stopped 23 of his last 24 opponents. This will be Golovkin’s first fight in Las Vegas.
Canelo Alvarez enters this fight with a 49-1-1 record that includes 34 knockouts. Alvarez has won his last seven fights, and he’s coming off a May win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Alvarez hasn't lost since his 2014 bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr and can also make a case for the best pound for pound fighter with a victory here. Alvarez will be 27 years old, he stands at 5’9”, has a 70 inch reach and an orthodox stance. Alvarez is known for his extreme punching power, but he's also been criticized of his last bout, as many thought he should have knocked out Chavez despite never being in danger of losing the bout. Either way, Alvarez’s offensive ability is elite status, and he has a proven chin and is sharp defensively to go along with it. Alvarez has settled for a lot of decisions recently, but when he wants to be aggressive and look for the stoppage, he can get it done. This will be Alvarez’s 10th fight in Las Vegas.
Finally, finally boxing gets a monster matchup between two of the bigger names in the sport with both still in elite condition. Sorry, that Pacquiao - Mayweather fight pales in comparison to this bout given that both guys made us wait forever and were up there in age by the time it finally took place. While I watch damn near every boxing event possible, I can't remember the last time I was this excited for a fight. This is a must-watch for anybody who enjoys any combat sport. Now with out of the way, I’m siding with Alvarez to win this fight. Canelo’s ability to counter and land hard body shots is the difference for me, as he’ll get quality looks off of Golovkin’s offense and could wear down the 35-year-old in ways we haven't seen yet. Remember, Golovkin was outboxed by Jacobs in his last fight and may have lost if he didn't get the fourth round knockdown. Alvarez also has the advantage defensively, as he moves well and is tougher to hit than GGG, who always takes accurate punches and sometimes welcomes them hoping it gives him more opportunities to land the haymaker. Alvarez has proven quite a bit at his young age and his only loss was to Mayweather came when he was still a little wet behind the ears. Canelo at this stage of his career may be the best boxer on the planet.
You could make a case for either guy here and any outcome wouldn't be surprising. But, I think Canelo is the better pure boxer right now and will find a way to get it done.