The Golovkin/Canelo rematch was recently replayed on HBO, giving more fans a chance to see the exciting match that was very tightly contested in the ring and extremely close in the final scorecards, a thrill that not even a casino experience can replicate. In the end, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez walked away with a razor-thin decision and the middleweight championship of the world. In the aftermath, fans and media members were split on the scoring of the fight, with the majority feeling that Golovkin deserved the win.
In part 2 of my “On The Ropes” boxing radio interview with Abel Sanchez, I discuss with him the chances that we see a third fight between Golovkin and Canelo. Abel also shares his thoughts on what could have been done differently in the rematch and if he thinks age could play a factor in the trilogy. Additionally, Sanchez speaks about the decision and fans reaction to it. Here is what Abel Sanchez had to say.
Jenna J: Abel what do you think is next for Golovkin? Do you think we will see the third fight with Canelo next for him?
Abel Sanchez: I know that they’re both going to have a rest, I know that they need a rest. It’s a matter of Tom Loeffler and Oscar De La Hoya getting together and trying to see if it’s a possibility. I think that the fans want the fight, now it’s a matter of the promotions coming together and putting it on in September of next year.
Jenna J: Did you see anything in the fight from Golovkin which you thought he could have done more of? Are there any regrets in the fight?
Abel Sanchez: It was two fights separated by one round, and that tells me that these two guys are so evenly matched. For me to insinuate something like that would be taking away from the victory from Canelo.
Canelo fought a great fight, Gennady fought a great fight, it was one pivotal round one way or the other and that was the decision. If it had been a blowout, then maybe I can say it, but it would be taking away from the great fight that these guys gave us.
Jenna J: When you look at a possible third fight, what do you think you could do to get that separation and get the win?
Abel Sanchez: I wouldn’t give anything away that I would do, but I would say that we had an 80% fight the first time and we had an 100% fight this time. If there was a third time, I think we would get 120% from both sides. They know each other twenty four rounds, they know what each other has, they know what they need to do.
All we can do as coaches is prepare them and make sure that we have the gameplan but once they get in the ring and they start touching each other, all that really goes out the window and all we can do in the corner is suggest and advice on what we see but they’re going to do what they feel is in their best interest. Canelo did it the first time and he was criticized for it, but he came forward this time and Gennady boxed. It’s what they see, it’s difficult to pin point them down to one thing.
Jenna J: Gennady will be thirty seven years old next year, do you think there’s a chance that next time around age could play a factor a little bit?
Abel Sanchez: We want to say no but we have to be realistic. They looked so good this time, both of them. It may play a part, but I don’t think it would. I think that they are both geared for each other as were Marquez and Pacquiao. If they can give us the same type of effort and the same type of fight, I don’t think you will see a difference.
Jenna J: A lot of fans loved the rematch between Golovkin and Canelo. Do you have any message for the fans that were disappointed with the decision of the bout?
Abel Sanchez: I think we have to be realistic and not hypocrites by crying every time something goes against us. Of course we as a team feel that we won the fight, but that’s why they had competent judges judging the fight. When a fight comes down to one round, I think that anger should be geared towards trying to push for a third fight so that it can be ironed out. In two fights, it was one round in each fight that separated them and that just shows us how closely matched it was.
Like Marquez VS Pacquiao, the decisions are all bogus and until GGG ko’s Canelo, he wont get a fair call.
I can’t see anything being different in the third fight, if anything, I see golovkin losing worse next time, maybe getting ko’d
Sanchez is fooling himself or maybe he’s just trying to keep ggg in a positive mindset.
But if they do do it a third time Canelo stops ggg imo those body shots had ggg breathing hard early on.
Canelo is still improving, still developing
he looks better every fight
Canelo TKO 10, stoppage by corner
Canelo will knock GGG out in the trilogy.
GGG is fast deteriorating with age.
I had GGG as the winner of both fights – comfortable 1st and very close 2nd, but he was the away non-money fighter in Vegas against a Mexican on a Mexican holiday both times so needed a KO and didn’t get it. However I can’t see how age wouldn’t be a factor by the time another re-match would be made. As hard as GGG hits a lot of his power came from timing, which is not quite what it once was and will only get worse the longer he stays in the game. I still think there’s no pure brawler (Lemieux type) that could beat him at the weight, but he will struggle against an elite level slickster (Saunders type), or box-fighter (Canelo type) in a way he wouldn’t have done a few years ago.
Golovkin is past his best, for sure. However, the reason he didn’t win is more to do the fact that he couldn’t move Canelo back and without that forward momentum and being able to pin him on the ropes most of his strongest attributes are taken away. When he’s not on the front foot and is kept in the centre of the ring at mid-close range he’s just too slow and doesn’t throw combos well enough to be effective there against a skilled defensive operator with excellent counter punching. Without having an awesome jab like he does he would have been beaten very easily.
Canelo wins the rubber match easier IMO.
Didn’t he see GGG huffing and puffing by the 4th round? Unless he takes Canelo out early he can’t win,but then his vaunted power hasn’t done that much in the two fights.