A boxer punches his opponent as hard as he can in order to win the boxing match. this is:

Álvarez outclasses Golovkin for an easy decision win.

Image

It was one of the closest rivalries in boxing, one marked by discord and controversial judging decisions because, over two fights and 24 rounds, there was little that separated Saúl Álvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.

Was, that is, because in their third fight at T-Mobile Arena in five years Saturday night, the Mexican fighter Álvarez, known widely as Canelo, definitively outclassed Golovkin in front of an adoring crowd to retain his super middleweight title and regain a bit of menace after suffering just the second loss of his professional career in May.

“I have shown that defeats are great, because they allow you to come back and show humility,” Álvarez said, while wearing a crown on his head, after the fight.

Álvarez won the fight by unanimous decision, with much of the drama drained from the bout early — although two of the judges said that Golovkin had only lost by one round. Perhaps the only real consolation for Golovkin was that he lasted all 12 rounds; Álvarez repeatedly boasted in the run-up to the fight that he would end it early.

Golovkin started the fight slow, testing Álvarez with his left jab but rarely doing damage with it. Álvarez damaged Golovkin’s temple early, and generally seemed content to counter with flurries while occasionally swinging wildly for the knockout punch he had promised but that never came.

Finally, after eight rounds and 24 staid minutes, a fight broke out in the ninth round. Golovkin threw caution to the wind and repeatedly advanced on Álvarez, switching up his jab-only style for a more varied attack. In the 11th round he finally landed enough hooks to open up a cut on Álvarez’s right eye. But the offensive barrage came at a price, and Golovkin received almost as badly as he gave it. It was also too late.

The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, seemingly giving Golovkin the last four rounds in generous fashion.

Golovkin, 40, has said that he will not retire after this fight. He looked a step slow, however, and very unlike the fighter who fans fell in love with because of his relentless forward-moving style, tentative.

“Remember I have three belts at 160,” he said when questioned about his future afterward. “I can still fight, guys.”

The fight was a nice bounce-back win for Álvarez, who lost to Dimitry Bivol in a light heavyweight matchup earlier this year.

But while he bested Golovkin, he was not back to his showstopping best. He will need to be better if he is to defeat Bivol in a potential rematch or if he wants to continue to dominate the super middlweight division.

Correction:

Sept. 18, 2022

An earlier version of this article misstated the division in which Saúl Álvarez fought on Saturday night. It was super middleweight, not super welterweight.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:45 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

The in-ring interviewer asks Álvarez if he would like a rematch with Dmitry Bivol if Bivol defeats Gilberto Ramirez in November. Álvarez says he would love a rematch, but that he also needs rest, and treatment for an injured left hand.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:38 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

The right fighter won, but by the wrong scores. Team Golovkin had worried before the fight that judges would lean toward Canelo, but those scorecards say Golovkin received every benefit of every doubt,

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:38 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Realistically, Canelo appeared to have won 10 rounds. These scorecards belonged in the Rodriguez-Gonzalez fight.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:35 a.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

The judges score it 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of Canelo Álvarez. That is much closer than I had the fight.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:38 a.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

I gave Golovkin one round. Could have seen as many as three and as little as zero.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:34 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Round 12: Some respect between rivals? After the boxers touched gloves to start the 12th round, Álvarez gave Golovkin a congratulatory tap on the backside. When the final bell rang, they embraced at center ring. In between, Álvarez could have cruised. He figured to have a huge lead on the scorecarrds. And Golovkin tried to press, but, fatigued, fell into clinches on the way to a likely loss. Possibly by shutout.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:29 a.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Round 11: A decent-sized cut opened up on Canelo’s right eye, indicative of some success Golovkin has been having rumbling with him. But he’s taking just about as much as he’s giving. If this Golovkin showed up from the beginning of the fight things might be close, but it took him two-thirds of the fight to even make rounds competitive.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:26 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Round 10: Golovkin is now happy to rumble at close quarters, and is having more success. But is he winning rounds? Probably not the 10th. The definitive punch came from Álvarez, a sharp left hook to the ribcage caused Golovkin to pause and take a step back. Golovkin is resurgent but Álvarez remains in control.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:20 a.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Round 9: A fight has finally broken out. Golovkin got the message and repeatedly attacked Álvarez, leading his corner to jump out of their seats excitedly. But it left Golovkin open, and Álvarez landed a nice short uppercut and a huge combination. Closest round of the fight so far, but probably still goes to Álvarez.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:17 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Round 8: Álvarez had promised to win this fight by knockout, but we’ll see. For everything Golovkin hasn’t done tonight, he has shown he can still take a punch. Álvarez blasted him with an overhand right to the jaw, but Golovkin didn't budge. In the meantime, Álvarez is happy to connect with punches that don't technically land but still do damage, pounding Golovkin's hip, elbow, shoulder and bicep.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:13 a.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Round 7: Golovkin showed the first variation in his fight plan, mixing in some uppercuts, but they were about as effective as his jabs have been. It is increasingly looking like Golovkin’s only shot at getting out of here with a victory is an improbable knockout.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:10 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Round 6: Here’s Golovkin’s problem: he’s too slow to committ to any offense, and he knows it. He’s tentative with his punches because he’s wary of getting countered. But he has never been great defensively, so Álvarez counters him anyway. A thudding left hook to Golovkin’s belly was the best punch of the round, and maybe of the fight so far.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:05 a.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Round 5: Canelo has been loading up big punches all night, and he finally connected a strong right hook with most of the round gone. Álvarez seems content to absorb Golovkin’s weak jabs, and then counter with a flurry.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:02 a.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Round 4: Golovkin is fighting like he has made a conscious decision to trade power for accuracy, which works if you’re landing punches. But Golovkin is missing, and Álvarez is connecting. He landed a heavy lead left hook early, and punctuated the round with several roundhouse rights to the body.

Sept. 18, 2022, 12:03 a.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

And in between rounds, Golovkin’s trainer, Jonathon Banks, told his fighter that he’s making Álvarez look good “because you’re not doing nothing.”

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:57 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Round 3: Álvarez tagged Golovkin a few times, and a welt is forming above Golovkin’s right eyebrow. Golovkin needs to figure out something — stepping forward, mixing in body shots, timing a power punch — because he’s losing this fight.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:54 p.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Round 2: Golovkin is known for a heavy jab, but he’s still short-arming the punch, while Álvarez opts for thudding blows. He landed a lead left hand, early. Later Álvarez missed left and a right, but then finished the salvoe with a jab to the forehead.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:48 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Round 1: Pretty cagey start to the fight by both boxers. Golovkin looked to establish his jab, like the first fight, while Álvarez landed a few nice combinations but swung a bit wildly.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:41 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

It quite literally smells like fireworks inside of T-Mobile Arena. Let’s hope they pale in comparison to the fireworks we are soon to see.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:34 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

The Kazakh national anthem singer was incredible, but Golovkin loses style points for walking out to "Seven Nation Army." It’s 2022, not 2012 at a Miami Heat game!

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:39 p.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

It almost feels like Canelo’s team was giving GGG sympathy points by using 1990s “Mama Said Knock You Out” in his video while knowing that the actual ring walk would be a way bigger spectacle.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:30 p.m. ET

Canelo brings out a big star for his ring walk: Alejandro Fernández.

A big fight for Canelo necessitates bringing out the big guns: Alejandro Fernández.

Fernández, a three-time Latin Grammy Award winner, accompanied Álvarez into the ring, before departing to headline a concert across Las Vegas Boulevard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Álvarez frequently turns his walk outs into full blown shows — and he has been accompanied around Las Vegas all week long by mariachi bands and two guys freestyle rapping about him — and Saturday night is no exception.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:22 p.m. ET

The first two fights between Álvarez and Golovkin were about as close as you can get.

In their first bout in 2017, Gennadiy Golovkin did the same thing round after round: He walked forward and jabbed Saúl Álvarez’s face with his left fist. Golovkin threw nearly 200 more punches than Álvarez and landed 50 more, half of them jabs.

Álvarez is a fearsome counterpuncher, and many fighters are too afraid of his power to try and walk forward and take control of the bout. But GGG stalked Canelo, forcing him back into the ropes and risking the wrath.

Golovkin got hit, mind you. Especially in the early rounds, and with a few late flurries from Canelo. But the middle of the fight was dominated by Golovkin. Going into the 10th round, HBO’s cameras picked up Eddie Reynoso, Álvarez’s longtime trainer, telling him: “These are for your life. Three perfect rounds, son.”

Of course, as memorable as the fight was, it is mostly remembered for what happened afterward. One judge scored the fight 115-113 in favor of Golovkin. Another scored it a 114-114 draw. The third judge, Adalaide Byrd, scored it 118-110 in favor of Álvarez. According to Byrd, Golovkin won just the fourth and seventh rounds.

Oscar de la Hoya, who was Álvarez’s promoter, defended Byrd as a competent judge. But even he said he scored the fight just 115-113 in favor of his fighter, Álvarez, and added: “A lot of people are not understanding 118-110, just like myself.”

While the final result of the second bout — extremely close and difficult to score — was similar, the manner in which the second fight between Álvarez and Golovkin was contested was not. The mutual respect between the fighters gave way to animosity, as the bout was delayed after Álvarez tested positive for clenbuterol (he said it came from tainted meat) and Golovkin called him a drug cheat.

This time Álvarez was the aggressor, refusing to let Golovkin push him back, and instead the fight was contested in the middle of the ring. Golovkin still threw numerous jabs, but instead of simply advancing forward behind the punch, he stood and traded power punches with Álvarez much more than in their first fight. Consequently, both fighters were bloodied with deep cuts over their eyes.

Golovkin, the older man by eight years, looked like he was fading in the middle rounds, most of which were decisively won by Álvarez. But he laid down a furious flurry of punches in the 10th round and looked like the stronger fighter in the final few rounds.

Golovkin managed to force a draw on one judge’s scorecard, but Canelo won the other two 115-113. This time there was no controversy, just a close fight that barely went Álvarez’s way.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:18 p.m. ET

Jesse Rodriguez gets a good sweat, but follows through to stay undefeated.

Image

After the final bell of the 12-round, super-flyweight title fight between champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Israel Gonzalez came the long, awkward pause that veteran boxing observers often associate with scorecard shenanigans.

They had reason to fear.

Midway through the seventh round of a competitive bout, Rodriguez, the heavy favorite, clipped Gonzalez with a low blow. Gonzalez hit the canvas, and the referee, Kenny Bayless, deducted a point from Rodriguez for repeated punches below the belt. Deductions can turn a slim win into a draw, and a draw into a heartbreaking loss.

When the scores were announced, one judge had Rodriguez, a rising star in the 115-pound division, winning 114-113 — meaning he had won seven of 12 rounds, and lost a point for the low bow.

The other cards went 118-109 and 117-110, and left the rest of us to wonder how closely the judges watched the action.

Gonzalez, the challenger, used his length, timing, and body punching to control range in the early rounds, keeping Rodriguez at the end of his jab, and pounding him with counterpunches to the rib cage.

But as the rounds progressed, Rodriguez worked his way inside, landing heavy left hands before introducing his right hook in round six. He won more rounds, but did not appear to win nine or 10.

Either way, Rodriguez, who lives in San Antonio, improves his record to 17-0, and positions himself to face the winner of a December title fight between Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:16 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

As we get ready for the ring walks, the crowd is being treated to a lot of Vicente Fernández, and responds by singing along.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:10 p.m. ET

The paydays for Canelo and GGG should hit the tens of millions.

Image

For their first rematch in 2018, Saúl Álvarez earned $5 million and Gennadiy Golovkin earned $4 million. At least, those were the purses officially reported by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which were in effect just base salaries. With each fighter’s cut of the robust pay-per-view sales of the fight — about 1.1 million people bought the fight — ESPN reported that Álvarez would actually take home around $40 million, while Golovkin would earn around $30 million.

For this bout, not even the fighters’ base pay will be known. In 2019 the Nevada legislature amended the law governing the Nevada State Athletic Commission, making fighter pay confidential.

But it is a safe bet that both fighters will earn tens of millions of dollars. Eddie Hearn, whose Matchroom Boxing is promoting the fight, said he expects a robust live gate and between 800,000 and 1 million pay-per-view buys for the fight, which would translate to a total revenue on par with or slightly below the first two installments of Canelo vs. GGG.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:03 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Israel Gonzalez put up a good performance in a pretty entertaining fight, but Bam Rodriguez’s stamina and quality eventually carried the day. I expect the judges to see it around 116-111 in favor of Rodriguez.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:10 p.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

The judges see it for Rodriguez, too.

Sept. 17, 2022, 11:01 p.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Gonzalez hits the canvas after an apparent low blow by Rodriguez. Referee Kenny Bayless gives Rodriguez time to recover, but doesn’t rule the punch an official low blow, which could have triggered another point deduction. Strange. If it wasn’t a low blow, it should have been ruled a knockdown.

Image

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:57 p.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

An interesting note from the broadcasters: While Canelo Álvarez opened up his locker room to allow cameras inside as he prepares for his fight, Gennadiy Golovkin apparently wouldn’t allow the same.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:46 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

After two low blows, the second of which dropped Gonzalez to the canvas, Rodriguez is deducted a point by the referee, Kenny Bayless.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:38 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

We are halfway through the co-main event, and there are still thousands of empty seats — mostly in the lower, and more expensive, bowl — at the T-Mobile Arena. It’s hard to imagine they’ll still be empty when Canelo does his ring walk, but those fans better show up soon.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:35 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Both fighters, but especially Gonzalez, have landed numerous body blows, to the point that referee Kenny Bayless warned both about hitting below the belt. As the fight goes on, that body damage will play a larger and larger role.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:35 p.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Gonzalez is still competitive in these rounds, and winning some of them, but he’s slowing a touch, while Rodriguez is landing his left with increasing frequency. Either way, it’s not the fight most people envisioned through five rounds.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:29 p.m. ET

Bookies give a clear edge to Álvarez.

Despite losing to Dimitry Bivol in his last outing, Canelo Álvarez is a heavy betting favorite over Gennadiy Golovkin.

A few hours before the fight, most sports books have Canelo at -550 (meaning you have to bet $550 to win $100) and Golovkin at +370 (bet $100 to win $370). The implied probability of those odds means bookies give Álvarez an 85 percent chance to win.

Though they clearly expect an Álvarez victory, oddsmakers do not necessarily believe it will be an easy one. The over/under for how long the fight will last is set at 10½ rounds, with their being shorter odds on the over (-200) than the under (+140).

Finally, the most expected outcome is Álvarez winning by a decision, at +100 odds. The odds of Canelo winning by a knockout or disqualification are set at +150, while a Golovkin win by decision (+700) or knockout or disqualification (+900) are much longer.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:26 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Israel Gonzalez looks up for playing the role of spoiler. This is a pretty close, competitive fight through three rounds.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:29 p.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

The volume of punches at 115 pounds is always interesting to see. Somehow, it makes the 3-minute rounds seem longer.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:15 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

The stage is set for Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez to build his star even further with a big victory in front of a big crowd. Let’s see if he can deliver.

Sept. 17, 2022, 10:07 p.m. ET

Ali Akhmedov, a protégé of Golovkin, dominates Rosado.

Image

Gabriel Rosado, 36, entered the fight with an edge in experience, and a reputation as the middleweight division’s chief gatekeeper. If you can’t beat him, you’re not a contender.

His opponent, Ali Akhmedov, had advantages in youth and skill, plus some high-profile backing. He’s a protégé of Gennadiy Golovkin, a fellow Kazakh, and the two boxers trained together for their bouts on Saturday.

In the movie version, the older, slower Rosado might have gutted out a win, or at least lost a close decision. Rosado has experience there. He had a small role as a gatekeeper-type fighter in the 2015 feature film “Creed.”

But Ali and Rosado fought in real life, where the 27-year-old Akhmedov’s speed and footwork and combination punching propelled him to a lopsided victory. All three judges scored all 10 rounds in Akmedov’s favor.

Where Rosado wanted to force a toe-to-toe brawl, Akmedov used a sharp jab to maintain distance, and mixed in a few heavy right hands and left hooks. One straight right in the fifth round nearly dropped Rosado. According to CompuBox, Akmedov landed 179 of 452 punches, compared with 78 of 410 for Rosado.

Akhmedov’s record improves to 19-1, while Rosado drops to 26-16-1.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:59 p.m. ET

Jesse Rodriguez could make the 115-pound division highly interesting.

Image

On the schedule, the bout is the co-feature, a title fight at 115 pounds between Jesse Rodriguez (nicknamed Bam) and Israel Gonzalez.

Functionally, the fight is a showcase for Rodriguez, a 22-year old San Antonio native, and a fast-rising star in the super flyweight class.

Casual sports fans might not have seen Rodriguez’s previous fight, an eighth-round stoppage win in late June over Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, the former world champion from Thailand. But hardcore boxing fans noticed the way Rodriguez turned an evenly-matched title bout into a one-sided boxing clinic. It was the kind of win that — like Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s whitewash of Diego Corrales in 2001 — signaled that a boxer with potential might actually be a generational talent.

Big boxing fans salivate over the possibilities at 115 pounds, if Rodriguez can defeat Gonzalez. Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico holds two major title belts, and the 35-year-old Nicaraguan legend Roman Gonzalez remains a major player in the division. All are aligned with Matchroom Boxing and the DAZN streaming service, which means boxing politics likely will not prevent any of them from pairing in the future.

Drive-by fans likely do not realize how many high-level fights are possible at super lightweight, but a definitive win by Rodriguez, on Álvarez’s undercard, could help them figure it out.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:55 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Akhmedov didn’t just land more punches, he landed much harder punches. They just sounded different. If Rosado is lucky the judges might give him a couple of rounds, but that is a solid victory for Akhmedov.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:58 p.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

And the judges give Rosado no rounds at all. A dominant showing for Akhmedov.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:48 p.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Michael B. Jordan is in the building, wearing a white silk bowling shirt trimmed with pink and green. The broadcast’s cameras showed the star of the “Creed” film franchise in Alvarez’s locker room, exchanging hugs and greetings with the super middleweight champ.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:39 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Gabe Rosado is game, I’ll give him that. But Ali Akhmedov is landing a flurry of blows, rights and lefts, each round. Rosado’s main route to victory would seem to be a big right hand. The trouble is that everybody, including Akhmedov, can see he is loading up.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:34 p.m. ET

The fight occurs on an auspicious day for Mexicans.

Image

This third fight between Álvarez and Golovkin comes almost five years to the day from the first time they fought, and almost four years to the day from their rematch.

Why is this fight once again scheduled for the middle of September? Mexican Independence Day.

Boxing promoters are not particularly subtle people, and Canelo Álvarez is the most popular Mexican boxer of his generation, and perhaps ever. He has had a handful of different promoters in his career, but they all settled on the same formula: Have Álvarez fight as often as possible in early May, for Cinco de Mayo, and mid-September, in line with the formal day of independence, Sept. 16.

The timing does not always work out, but when it does — like when Álvarez shattered Billy Joe Saunders’s orbital bone in front of over 73,000 screaming fans in Arlington, Texas around Cinco de Mayo last year — it makes for a frenzied boxing atmosphere.

In Las Vegas, Mexicans, Mexican Americans and Canelo fans of all stripes have taken over the city. Mexican flags are everywhere and the array of bootleg Canelo merchandise available from street vendors is astounding. Mariachi bands are roaming the city, and are present at every official event, like the weigh-ins.

Golovkin will be lucky if 5 percent of the crowd is cheering for him.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:28 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

Rosado finally started punching back in the third round, and he stares down Akhmedov as the fighters retreat to their corners after the bell.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:22 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

The loud chants for Ali Akhmedov, and the bright cyan flags of Kazakhstan that are being waved, suggest that tonight’s crowd won’t be 100 percent behind Canelo. Maybe just 90 percent.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:14 p.m. ET

Morgan Campbell

Yes, that’s Freddie Roach in Gabriel Rosado’s corner. Roach trained the eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, and had vowed to retire whenever the fighter did. Pacquiao called it quits after losing to Yordenis Ugas in 2021. Roach, like many a boxer, appears to have changed his mind about quitting.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:12 p.m. ET

Austin Williams puts on a show with his decision win.

Image

Before the final round the first bout on the main card, Kieron Conway’s head trainer exhorted his fighter step up his attack against Austin Williams (who is known as Ammo), downplaying the danger that the power-punching Williams presented.

“He’s missing with everything he throws!” the trainer shouted.

False.

A minute before the ring-corner speech, Williams, a 26-year-old southpaw middleweight who lives in Houston, let out a yelp, then decked Conway with a right uppercut. By the end of the round, Williams had landed several more clean, heavy punches, and howled again. Conway lurched back to his corner, blood flowing from his nose and streaking onto his chest.

Even without the knockdown, Williams, who is now 12-0, would have prevailed on the scorecards. One judge scored it 96-93 in Williams’ favor, while the other two scored it 97-92.

Leading up to the bout, Williams had spoken openly about his struggles with mental health, and last year he took a break from boxing to deal with depression.

Saturday he made an impression with his ring walk, strutting the aisle shirtless, to the tune of Michael Jackson’s “Bad,” and his trunks, which were gold with flashy gold tassels.

Conway’s record drops to 18-3-1, and Williams, who has feuded openly with his promoter, Eddie Hearn, will look to challenge bigger names in the middleweight division, like Jaime Munguía or Jermell Charlo.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:04 p.m. ET

Can you beat Gabriel Rosado, the gatekeeper?

Image

Midway through the first installment of the “Creed” feature film franchise, the protagonist, Adonis Creed, faces a crossroads bout against a rugged contender named Leo Sporino, nicknamed The Lion.

Whatever creative license filmmakers have taken in the Creed films, the circumstances surrounding the showdown between Creed and Sporino are among the most realistic depiction of boxing in the history of cinema. And Sporino was played by the middleweight boxer Gabriel Rosado, who faces Ali Akhmedov on Saturday night.

If you want to prove you’re a legitimate contender at middleweight or super middleweight, chances are you’ll have to face Rosado, one of pro boxing’s most reliable gatekeepers.

Rosado’s 26-15-1 career record indicates that he has faced stiff competition over his 16-year pro career. The Philadelphia native’s résumé includes losses to regional champions (David Lemieux in 2014), future world champions (Jermell Charlo, also in 2014), and even to Golovkin (by knockout in 2013).

But Rosado, 36, wins often enough against good enough fighters to make clear that defeating him actually means something. Last year, an Uzbek prospect named Bektemir Melikuziev entered a bout against Rosado with a 7-0 record and high hopes. Three rounds later, Rosado had knocked him out.

On Saturday Rosado will face Akhmedov, a protégé of Golovkin’s from Kazakhstan who is 18-1, and rebuilding his record after a surprise loss in December of 2020. Like many middleweight contenders, he is arriving at a career crossroads to find Rosado standing there.

Sept. 17, 2022, 8:56 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

A little bit of a wild fight from both boxers, which featured something I haven’t seen before: Two stoppages because the tape on Kieron Conway’s gloves kept coming loose. Austin Williams probably wins 6-4 or 7-3.

Sept. 17, 2022, 9:03 p.m. ET

Oskar Garcia

Good call, as it ends up being a unanimous decision for Williams.

Sept. 17, 2022, 8:39 p.m. ET

Kevin Draper

reporting ringside from Las Vegas

With most fans not yet here, the instructions from Kieron Conway’s trainer, his father James, loudly pierce the silence in the arena. “He’s not doing anything,” the elder Conway yelled about Austin Williams at one point. Brits in boxing don’t sugarcoat it.

Sept. 17, 2022, 8:37 p.m. ET

Get to know Canelo, whose nickname references his hair.

Image

Here are some basic facts about Saúl Álvarez, the fighter fans affectionately know as Canelo.

• AGE: 32

• BORN: Guadalajara, Mexico

• TRAINS: San Diego

• RECORD: 57-2-2, 39 knockouts

The nickname “Canelo” means “cinnamon,” a reference to Álvarez’s red hair.

He’s the undisputed world champion at 168-pounds, but his unofficial title is just even more important: Boxing’s biggest single attraction in the post-Floyd Mayweather Jr. era.

Set aside whether average boxing fans agree with the assessment, because broadcasters certainly do. In 2018, DAZN paid Golden Boy Promotions, which promoted Álvarez then, $365 million for the rights to 11 Álvarez bouts. Álvarez has since broken up with Golden Boy and as a promotional free-agent is able to charge a premium for his bouts.

He made a reported $40 million to defeat Caleb Plant last November, in a bout that aired on Showtime. And DAZN, the streaming service which once claimed it would make pay-per-view broadcasts obsolete, is charging subscribers $64.99 for Saturday’s bout. Nonsubscribers will pay $84.98.

Those numbers indicate that Álvarez moves the needle among both avid boxing followers, and general sports fans who tune in to big fights. This week Álvarez signed with Excel Sports Management, the agency charged with turning Álvarez’s fame into earning opportunities outside the ring.

Inside the ring, Álvarez is a calculating boxer-puncher. He is less a slow starter than a patient one, who looks to analyze opponents early and dominate them late.

Sometimes the strategy doesn’t pan out. Álvarez lost decisions to Mayweather at super welterweight in 2013, and to Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight this past May.

But Álvarez remains undefeated at middleweight, where his first two Golovkin bouts occurred, and at super middleweight, the weight class for Saturday’s fight.

Sept. 17, 2022, 8:37 p.m. ET

Meet Gennadiy Golovkin, also known as GGG.

Image

Much of Gennadiy Golovkin’s career lately has been as a counterpart to Saúl Álvarez, and with good reason. Here are some things to know about him:

• AGE: 40

• BORN: Karaganda, Kazakhstan

• TRAINS: Big Bear Lake, Calif.

• RECORD: 42-1-1, 37 KO

On Sept. 1, 2012, Golovkin, an undefeated but mostly unknown middleweight power puncher made his U.S. debut, pulverizing Grzegorz Proksa over five rounds to defend his two middleweight titles and establish himself as the division’s kingpin.

Golovkin spent the next five years winning fights in eye-catching, crowd pleasing style. He sets up power punches with a heavy jab, and throws calculated, accurate, damaging combinations. Golovkin might press straight forward, or he might find an angle, but he rarely steps backward. From the Proksa victory until his first meeting with Álvarez in 2017, Golovkin won 14 bouts — 13 by knockout or stoppage.

None of those knockout wins translated into mainstream stardom, even though his backers tried to make it happen. His catchphrase, “Big Drama Show,” never caught on outside the boxing community. Nor did the campaign, borne of his relationship with longtime trainer Abel Sanchez, who is Mexican-American, to market Golovkin, who is from Kazakhstan, as an heir to Mexico’s rich boxing legacy.

Golovkin changed trainers in 2019, and now works with Jonathon Banks, a Detroit native. The pair are undefeated in four bouts together, and their fifth represents a return to the one role that has consistently landed Golovkin in the mainstream spotlight.

Foil to Álvarez.

Sept. 17, 2022, 8:12 p.m. ET

Here’s a look at the results from the full card.

Image

Main Card

• Austin Williams beats Kieron Conway via unanimous decision for the vacant W.B.A. international middleweight title (160 pounds).

• Ali Akhmedov beats Gabriel Rosado via unanimous decision for the W.B.C. Silver and vacant I.B.F. North America super middleweight titles (168 pounds).

• Jesse Rodriguez beats Israel Gonzalez to defend his W.B.C. super flyweight title (115 pounds).

• Saúl Álvarez beats Gennadiy Golovkin via unanimous decision to retain his undisputed super middleweight title at 168 pounds.

Early Preliminary Fights

• Anthony Herrera beat Delvin McKinley in their super flyweight bout with a technical decision. The fight was stopped because Herrera accidentally head-butted McKinley, and Herrera was ahead on the scorecards.

• Aaron Aponte and Fernando Molina fought to a split draw in their super lightweight bout.

• Marc Castro knocked out Kevin Mendoza in the fifth round of their lightweight bout.

• Diego Pacheco scored a technical knockout over Enrique Collazo after dropping him to the canvas.

Sept. 17, 2022, 8:05 p.m. ET

How to watch or stream the fight.

Image

Saúl Álvarez, who is known widely as Canelo, will take on Gennadiy Golovkin in a super middleweight showdown from Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The main card begins at 8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific), and you can tune in as early as 5 p.m. Eastern for the early preliminary fights. Álvarez and Golovkin are expected to enter the ring around 11 p.m. Eastern, depending on the timing of the earlier bouts.

In the United States, and in most of the rest of the world besides Latin America, the fight will be carried on DAZN, a sports streaming service that has struggled to win viewers.

For current subscribers to DAZN, the pay-per-view fight will cost $65, but for nonsubscribers it will cost $85, with a month of DAZN included in the fee. The fight can also be purchased through more traditional cable and satellite providers.

In Mexico, the fight can be seen on TV Azteca.

Sept. 17, 2022, 8:02 p.m. ET

Álvarez has more experience fighting at this weight.

Image

Unlike their first two bouts, which were fought in the middleweight division, at 160 pounds, the third fight between Álvarez and Golovkin is being contested at super middleweight, 168 pounds.

It is hard to remember now, but Álvarez fought most of his early career at super welterweight (154 pounds), only finally moving up to middleweight for the first two fights against Golovkin. But in the last few years he has fought at super middleweight and even at light heavyweight (175 lbs.), which is where he lost to Dmitry Bivol in May.

Golovkin, on the other hand, has spent his entire career in the middleweight division; this will be the first time he has ever gone up a division.

That opens up several questions for this fight: Golovkin is one of the greatest knockout artists in boxing history, but how will his power translate going up in weight and against a beefier Álvarez? Can Álvarez rebound from just the second loss in his professional career at a weight he is more comfortable at? And finally, how does what both fighters think they know from their first two bouts change in a different weight class?