Once again boxing fans are left with a sour taste in their mouths after an overly hype fight does not quite deliver. Not to mention we had the dreaded horrible scorecard rear it’s ugly head.. In the aftermath of Canelo vs Golovkin here are five things we learned tonight.
1. Canelo is a better boxer than advertised. I was quite surprised with how well Canelo boxed in this fight. Not to say he is a bad boxer. Speed was just never his calling card. Technique, precision and power were his tools of the trade. However tonight Canelo showed excellent footwork. Great handspeed and combinations. He was very elusive at times as well. Canelo is becoming a more complete fighter. A scary thought for the rest of the Middleweight division.
2. Golovkin is impossible to hurt. This man eats punches like I eat pop-tarts. He took some of Canelo’s best shots. He would smile or nod and just keep coming. Canelo is an excellent puncher with real ko power. So was David Lemeiux. If those guys couldn’t even budge GGG. I’m not sure anyone can.
3. We absolutely MUST have a judging reform in our great sport. We have all seen it far too often. Two guys fight their heart out only to have their efforts tainted by inept judges. Boxers work too hard for this to happen. Perhaps re-education is in order. However we cannot allow this to keep happening. I know the judges are human. As humans we are not perfect, however Adelaide Byrd’s scorecard for tonight’s fight was hysterically bad. This is not a first for her either. Our fighters and we the fans deserve much better.
4. Sportsmanship is alive and well. Coming off the heels of a spectacle where two grown decided to hurl juvenile insults at each other at every turn to “sell” a fight. There was no such drama in the lead in to or aftermath of this fight. Golovkin and Alvarez were very respectful of one another. That did not stop them from to decapitate each other tonight. You don’t have to have two guys that hate each other to draw in the fans. The best place for the drama is in the ring
5. Rematch. There has to be a rematch. All parties involved deserve a clear-cut winner. The boxers, promoters, networks and fans all deserve to see a winner. Both fighters have already expressed their desire for rematch. Let’s hope it happens soon and we get some better judging this time.
So there you have it. Knowledge is power. I know i learned a lot about our sport tonight. I am very excited for what the rest of 2017 holds for us.
