Canelo Alvarez needs to beat Gennadiy Golovkin to prove that he is still one of the best fighters in the world. Gennadiy Golvokin needs to beat Canelo Alvarez because he feels the judges have treated him unfairly in their previous fights. On Saturday night, the two will face off in match three (and possibly) the last time in Alvarez’s Undisputed Middleweight Championship. Here’s everything you need to know about Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin, including the odds, their records and prediction of who will win.
Not many observers give Golovkin much chance. It has been clear over the past several years that he has long since come out of the peak of his career. Although he went on to defeat everyone not called Canelo Alvarez, he had a harder time outrunning fighters like Sergey Derevianchenko and Ryota Morata than most observers expected.
It’s not as fast as it used to be. He still has punching power, but it also took him longer to eliminate his opponents than when he was in his early thirties. Now, he’s 40, and it looks like Alvarez – who drew and won against Golovkin – could score his biggest win over Golovkin to date. Some even expect to stop.
“He’s a great fighter. He’s one of the best middleweights in boxing history,” Alvarez told me last month. “But that’s what I’m training for. My goal is to finish his career, his wonderful career.”
A knockout loss against his biggest opponent surely could lead Golovkin to walk away from his Hall of Fame career. But what if he could record the distress? What if he discovers that raising up to £168 after spending his career at £160 will make him stronger than before? Can Golovkin accomplish the improbable?
It’s possible. Last month, I asked Golovkin, through an interpreter, about having to lift weight, well, he didn’t seem to like the middleweight too much after spending so long as the middleweight.
“I wouldn’t say I feel any obvious differences, that I’m stronger or faster,” he said. “I feel good at 160. I feel strong. I feel fast. It’s kind of different at 168. Like, I feel a little bit heavier. But I have more presence.”
Whether this additional eight-pound presence will give Golovkin a better chance remains to be seen. But Alvarez can counter that by training with renewed vigor after losing to Dimitri Bevol four months ago.
You can make this argument that Alvarez will win, and you can make the argument that Golovkin will win. But either way, one of the most anticipated matches of the year has many watchers excited.
“These are two guys who hate each other so bitterly and want to end this wonderful series with sharp KO eyes,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “I really think this will be the most exciting battle between these two great heroes and it will be a firework from the first bell to the last man standing.”
Here’s more information about the showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin that American viewers can watch for $64.99 on DAZN PPV starting at 8 PM ET.
LAS VEGAS, NV – Sept 16 (LR) Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez celebrate after … [+]
Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin feud
The betting odds for this fight continue to widen and expand. As of this writing, Alvarez is the favorite – $600 (bet $600 to win $100), while Golovkin is a +425 loser (win $425 on $100 bet). Considering that when the fight was first announced, Alvarez was -350 and Golovkin was +260, it is clear that bettors put their money on Alvarez. If you want to bet on Alvarez, I’ll skip the money line and go with Alvarez with the decision +105. Golovkin’s decision win at +750 can also provide good value.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Records of Gennady Golovkin
Before losing to Bevol in May, Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 KOs) went nine years unbeaten – and that came against Floyd Mayweather. Since then, Alvarez, the former number one fighter in the world, has won world titles at junior middleweight, welterweight, middleweight and light heavyweight division, defeating Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan, Daniel Jacobs, Sergey Kovalev, Callum Smith and Caleb Factory.
The only two flaws in Golovkin’s 42-1-1 record (37 KOs) came from Alvarez. Other than that, Golovkin won against David Lemieux, Agent Brock, and Morata. Later in his career, after his death from his presidency, he racked up close victories against Daniel Jacobs and Derevianchenko. With that, Golovkin found a way to outsmart everyone he encountered in his career. Except for Alvarez.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin Predictions
Golovkin could take a flush shot, and it could hurt Alvarez. Golovkin could outrun Alvarez in a lot of fights and eventually stop him. But other than that, Golvokin would find it hard to beat Alvarez. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Alvarez stop Golovkin, but I think Golovkin will fight to the end and survive all 12 rounds. Say, Alvarez by unanimous decision as he scores his first non-controversial victory against Golovkin, somewhere in the 116-112 neighborhood.
