With only about a week away, it will be interesting if either Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin can come out with a big knockout win. Both fighters have been known to be aggressive, enough to justify that this mega bout will be an action-packed affair.
Golovkin has been known to finish strong, winning majority of his past fights via knockout. His last fight against Daniel Jacobs was a rare unanimous decision win, much of which was alleged because he lacked the motivation to fight.
Alvarez didn’t impress as well against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. However, he does have the knack of going for the KO kill in the past.
Against GGG, Alvarez knows he has his work cut out for him as he faces a fighter who may need only one good hit to make a difference.
De La Hoya wary heavier Canelo
Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya spoke with ESPN and showed a bit of a concern. The former boxing champion is wary of Alvarez putting on extra pounds between their weigh-in on Sept. 15 and the start of the fight.
Aware that speed will play a vital role in the punching power of both fighters, the added weight could hamper Saul’s speed. He feels that this is his boy’s big advantage of Golovkin. He hopes that the Mexican can maintain the power behind his punches despite the issue of weight.
Shorter Mexican underdog
De La Hoya is aware that Alvarez is an inch shorter than Golovkin.
A faster Alvarez could help offset all that, the reason why the boxer-promoter is now a bit cautious.
Based on the betting odds for the Alvarez vs. Golovkin fight, the no. 2 ranked GGG is a -155 betting favorite while the Mexican brawler is at +125 according to OddShark.com. It remains to be seen if those forecasts hold up though a lot depends on how both fighters perform.
For Golovkin, a win over Canelo should be a career-defining moment. He has long been shunned from big name fights, one of the reasons why he lacked the motivation against Jacobs.
Canelo Alvarez can gain a lot as well with a big win over Golovkin. He has faced most of the greats – including Floyd Mayweather Jr. whom he lost to.
While most believe a more mature Alvarez could be different, the Mexican has ample experience to frustrate a charging Triple G.
Stakes are high for both fighters where one match may not be enough to determine who deserves to be called the best pound-for-pound fighter of this era. Whatever the result maybe on Sept. 16, it won’t come as a surprise if both end up facing each other again in future boxing sequels.
