LAS VEGAS • Saul "Canelo" Alvarez won a close, often tense but uncontroversial decision over Daniel Jacobs in their hotly anticipated middleweight championship unification fight on Saturday night.
Ringside judges Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld turned in cards of 115-113, while Glenn Feldman scored it 116-112 as Alvarez (52-1-2 with 35 knockouts), unified boxing's 160-pound (72kg) division.
The Mexican added the American's International Boxing Federation belt to the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council straps that he won from Gennady Golovkin last September.
Alvarez has now all but cleaned it out - four years after capturing the lineal title from Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto to establish a foothold in the division.
After his second win since signing a five-year, 11-fight contract worth a minimum of US$365 million (S$497.4 million) with the streaming service DAZN, he told reporters: "It was just what we thought because of the style of fight he brings, but we did our job.
"I'm just looking for the biggest challenge. That's why I'm here. That's what I was born for, to fight, to defend what's mine. I'll fight anyone."
Jacobs (35-3 with 29 knockouts), who entered the bout as a 6-1 underdog with bookmakers, had trouble finding the elusive Alvarez for long stretches of the fight before a rollicking Cinco de Mayo weekend crowd at the T-Mobile Arena.
Although he tweaked his tactics to come on strong in the second half, landing 131 of 649 punches (20 per cent), Alvarez, whose patience, poise and exquisite technique were on full display for 12 rounds, still connected with 118 of 466 of his punches (40 per cent).
Admitting his opponent was "a tremendous champion", Jacobs, whose "Miracle Man" nickname stems from having overcome bone cancer, said: "I tip my hat to him (Alvarez). I gave my all out there."
The day had started with a hint of controversy when Jacobs came in 3.7lb over the contracted rehydration limit of 170. But, though the cost of the blown weight check was steep, he was content to forfeit nearly US$1 million of his US$10 million guarantee for the best chance of winning.
Having now claimed three of the four major belts at 160lb, Alvarez, who earned US$35 million on the night, may target World Boxing Organisation title-holder Demetrius Andrade for his customary September fight on Mexican Independence Day weekend to become an undisputed champion.
But a third fight with Golovkin, the first ending in a controversial draw, which was further marred by Alvarez's positive drug test in the lead-up to the rematch, would be a bigger hit commercially.
The Kazakh, who is also signed with DAZN and was at ringside, tried to talk up a third instalment.
He slagged off the fight, during which neither man was knocked down or in serious trouble, as "boring" and "just a sparring match".
Golovkin, whom many observers believed won their first fight in September 2017, tweeted: "They should give more to the audience, the boxing community. I didn't see any emotions. I didn't see anything special."
THE GUARDIAN
Arsenal's Lacazette free to face Rennes as UEFA cuts ban first-leg match and was hit with a three-game ban by European soccer's governing body for serious rough play. by Arsenal FC has
Football: Arsenal's Lacazette free to face Rennes as Uefa
Mourinho demanded the full payout, with more than £40m due on the new four-year contract that had been announced, deliberately, one day before the start of their Premier League defence against
Manchester United sack Mourinho - espn.com
SINGAPORE - An employee of Singapore Premier League club Hougang United has been charged over the loss of more than $250,000 from their clubhouse operations. While working as an admin assistant, Malaysian Tean Tai Tee allegedly misappropriated $278,200. The 24-year-old woman was arrested and charged in court on Dec 16, 2018 with one count of
S$278,200 missing from Hougang United Football Club; employee
May 12, 2019 · Manchester City win back-to-back Premier League titles after surviving early Brighton scare Save Vincent Kompany lifts the Premier League trophy Credit: REUTERS
Manchester City retain Premier League title - Reuters
Three weeks after losing 2-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain, a patched-up United side went to Parc des Princes and pulled off a historic 3-1 win Football. Bloody hell! The comeback of all comebacks. Forget what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did as a player on that famous night in 1999, this was a moment like never before.
Solskjaer 'confident' of Man Utd miracle in Paris
- Crystal Palace moved further away from the Premier League relegation zone with a 3-1 win at fellow strugglers Burnley on Saturday thanks to second half goals from Michy Batshuayi and Wilfried Zaha.
Football: Palace climb away from troube with 3-1 win at Burnley
Football News -PARIS (REUTERS) - Thieves broke in and stole luxury watches from the home of Paris St Germain's Dani Alves while the Brazilian defender was playing a match earlier this week, French
Football: PSG's Dani Alves house burgled during match: Report
DUBAI (Reuters) - A political dispute in the Gulf will play out for the second time at the Asian Cup when Qatar meet hosts the United Arab Emirates in the semi-final on Tuesday. The UAE, Saudi
Hostile crowd awaits Qatar in Asian Cup semi-final against
Neymar heads to Qatar for medical assessment | Football News
Mix - Queen - Making of One Vision YouTube Inside The Rhapsody (Bohemian Rhapsody mini documentary, 2002) 3 of 3 - Duration: 27:15. Queen Official 1,859,814 views
Inside The Rhapsody (Bohemian Rhapsody mini documentary, 2002
Jahanbakhsh on target as Iran ease past Oman into last eight before marching confidently into the Asian Cup quarter-finals for the 13th time in 14 attempts with a 2-0 victory over a spirited
Jahanbakhsh on target as Iran ease past Oman into last eight
In Tuesday's other replay, struggling Championship team Sheffield Wednesday came through another tough test at third-tier side Luton Town. London: Newcastle United beat Blackburn Rovers 4-2
FA Cup: Newcastle get extra-time win, Stoke fall to Shrews in
0 comments:
Post a Comment