12:37 PM ET
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Mike Coppinger ESPN
LAS VEGAS — After the final bell and 36 rounds together, Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin shared a long hug, seemingly ending a feud that had become personal in the five years since they first met in the ring
In another close fight, Alvarez retained his undisputed super middleweight championship Saturday at T-Mobile Arena with a unanimous decision victory over his longtime rival in a trilogy fight in front of a pro-Alvarez crowd on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
Two judges scored it 115-113 for Alvarez while a third judge scored it 116-112.
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Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) started strong as Golovkin worked his jab and barely landed his powerful right hand, the punch that catapulted him to stardom and a legendary heavyweight championship medium Eventually down the stretch, Golovkin found his footing and won four of the last five rounds on two cards, but it was too little, too late.
As they hugged, Alvarez told Golovkin, “Thank you so much, my friend. Thank you for everything. Let’s give the fans three good fights.”
The pleasantries were in stark contrast to the pre-fight build-up, when Alvarez vowed to end Golovkin’s career with a knockout victory. He even called Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) a charlatan who pretends to be a good person.
Now, with the dust settled and the rivalry concluded, the fighters are heading in separate directions.
Alvarez, who holds all four 168-pound belts, could be chasing a rematch with Dmitry Bivol next year to even the score from May, when Bivol defeated him by decision. But first, Alvarez said his left hand needs surgery, though he did not offer specific details of the injury.
“I can’t hold a glass,” Alvarez, 32, said. “It’s too bad. But I’m a warrior.”
Canelo Alvarez, with a right, started strong and held off Gennadiy Golovkin in the closing rounds to earn his second victory in his trilogy. Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Alvarez, boxing’s biggest star, told ESPN ringside that his hand is “up from the Caleb Plant fight,” a November TKO win over the Mexican boxer that preceded his loss to Bivol .
“I’ve been through some really tough things in my life and the only thing you can do is try to keep going and move forward,” Alvarez said. “I’ve been through tough times with my losses and I’ve shown that losses are big. It allows you to come back and show humility.”
That’s exactly what Alvarez showed after a second win over Golovkin, a third meeting that Golovkin and boxing fans eagerly waited four years to materialize. The rematch in September 2018, which Alvarez won by majority decision, was far from convincing, a battle that called for an encore. The first fight, in September 2017, was a controversial draw that Golovkin was adamant about winning.
Both of those bouts were contested at 160 pounds, where Golovkin remains a unified champion.
“Remember I have it [two] belts at 160. I’m coming back, I’m still champion,” said Golovkin, who was debuting at 168 pounds.
Since capturing Olympic silver in 2004, Golovkin has competed at 160 pounds in title fights.
“Everybody knows, this is a high-level class. This is the best fighter in boxing. Everybody knows who Canelo is. It’s a huge fight. Look at your face; look at my face. We trained well, and that shows we’ve done it. a very good quality fight,” he said.
“This fight is more tactical. Today, Canelo is better. Congratulations to Canelo.”
Punch statistics
Alvarez GolovkinTotal Punches Landed130120Total Landed487521Percent27%23%Jabs Landed4574Jabs Landed270350Percent17%21%Power Landed8546Power Landed217171Percent39%27%Compu-Box Courts
In fact, this fight was a far cry from the memorable first two innings of their storied rivalry, except for the last four rounds, when the action picked up exponentially.
Golovkin, a native of Kazakhstan who fights out of Los Angeles, was off all three cards entering the stretch and picked up the pace. He started firing the right hand that made him a future Hall of Famer and connected with some loud jabs in round 9 after he nailed Alvarez in the corner.
Round 10 was more of the same, with a package of sharp right uppercuts on the inside set up by Golovkin’s excellent jab. In round 11, he cracked Alvarez above the right eye and finished strong in the final round.
“Second half, I don’t feel bad,” Golovkin said. “This fight is as intelligent, more tactical, as chess.”
The fight wasn’t very good for the first seven rounds, though. Golovkin pumped his jab but never followed up with a right hand. Alvarez, meanwhile, controlled the action and pushed Golovkin back with plenty of pressure.
Alvarez attacked Golovkin’s body with a hard right hand to the liver, and a left hook to the face followed. By the end of round 3, Golovkin’s face was already swollen and a large gash appeared on his forehead.
Alvarez continued to pound Golovkin’s midsection with right hands as the fight wore on, and in round 5, Alvarez connected with perhaps the biggest punch of the fight, a right hand that sent his head snapping back of the rival
Still, Golovkin was never in danger. After all, he has one of the best chins in boxing, and time doesn’t seem to be eroding it.
But the passage of time has finally ended what was once a bitter rivalry. Alvarez, ESPN’s No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer, will look to regain the No. 1 spot he held prior to the loss to Bivol after a well-deserved break.
Golovkin is nearing the end, but insists he will continue with his career. After his last fight against Alvarez on Saturday, there will be plenty of interest in his future bouts, whether at 160 pounds or 168.
Whatever happens for each man, their time together in the ring is over, and with it, one of the biggest – and most profitable – rivalries in boxing history.
“I’m happy to share the ring with him,” Alvarez said. “We’ve given the fans three really good fights. I’m happy to be involved in these types of fights.”