Canelo - Golovkin III - One Last Hurrah…

This weekend, Las Vegas will for the third and likely final time, play host to one of the sport’s most emotive and controversial modern rivalries.

The word ‘legend’ can somewhat be overused. Nowadays, if your mate buys the first pint on a Friday night, he’s a legend. But look up the definition of the word and you’ll see - ‘an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field’.

That is what we have with Canelo Alvarez & Gennady Golovkin.

With Canelo, we have a four-weight world champion, unified in three of those weight classes and the ONLY man ever to become undisputed at super-middleweight. With Golovkin, we have one of the sport’s greatest ever middleweights. A record 22 world title defences with an 84% KO ratio from his 44 career wins.

Yet even with all the achievements, numbers and records, it is the fights that define these legends to us fans. For these two, their fights with one another are part of their legacies that will without doubt cement them both in the Boxing Hall of Fame.

For fight number one, we go back to 2017. The two were ready to cross paths as boxing’s premier superstars. What followed left the boxing public with a sour taste.

The fight itself was a classic, but despite out landing Canelo in 10 of the 12 rounds - all whilst being the aggressor and backing up the Mexican - Golovkin would be subject to scoring that saw him walk away with a draw.

When two greats come together, the last thing anyone wants is for the main character to be a judge. But so it proved. Adelaide Byrd’s 118-110 card, to this day, goes down as one of the sport’s most criminal decisions.

A rematch was demanded, and then rescheduled for May the following year.

Then came a slice of out-of-ring controversy that would further light the touch paper in this rivalry.

With little over two months until round 13 began, Canelo tested positive for banned substance Clenbuterol. The subsequent sixth month ban would push back the rematch until September.

Golovkin wasn’t shy of making his opinions heard, and September now had an extra ingredient. Not that it needed one.

September came, and the eyes of the boxing world were once again on Las Vegas. Golovkin had splattered Vanes Martirosyan during Canelo’s off period. But if it wasn’t the big two facing off, nobody cared.

If fight number one was a classic, then this one was one for the ages. The fight took a different narrative, with Canelo this time facing his man head on in another gruelling 12. The fight swung back-and-forth, with Golovkin looking strong early before Canelo took control in the middle rounds. Canelo seemed fatigued down the stretch, and in round 11 looked perhaps the most vulnerable he had to date.

But he survived.

So once again these two warriors had put on a show, and Ring Magazine’s FOTY 2018 award tells you exactly that. Of course, as boxing does best, the drama never ends on the final bell. A closer fight than last time yes, but one that many would be hard pushed to find Canelo winning.

Well, he did, and an outpouring of emotion followed as the split decision this time fell his way. Golovkin could barely stomach this one, leaving the ring as Canelo’s hand was raised in victory.

You would think suggestions of a third fight would be insulting to Golovkin at this point. Two fights both scuppered by factors out of his control. Yet he was quick to lay the marker down that this rivalry needed a conclusion.

And so was Canelo.

Now four years on, the Mexican has written himself into the annals of the sport by accomplishing what those before him couldn’t. He blitzed his way to the marble collection at 168, and even stepped up to 175 to crown himself a champion.

Golovkin hasn’t himself been even half as loud, with just three fights in the same timeframe. Also, he is now 40, so maybe the boxing world is right to question whether this path is the right one. But ask Gennady himself, and you’ll only get one answer.

“I don’t feel uncomfortable. I am ready for him”

One thing about this third fight is that it for sure splits opinion with the fans. Perhaps not inside the ring, but I know there were many who felt it unnecessary to see these two square off once again.

Whether you’re of that ilk or otherwise, just make sure you tune in to see two of the sport’s finest go to war one more time. Because believe me, that is exactly what they will do.