Canelo ‘Understands’ Second Bout With Golovkin Was Controversial

NEW YORK–Canelo Alvarez knows that a significant swath of the fight public does not believe he deserved to win his second bout with Gennadiy Golovkin.

In 2018, a year after their controversial draw in the first meeting, Alvarez and Golovkin faced each other for the second time, with Alvarez winning a majority decision. As in the first fight, the second one was plagued by controversy. Many members of the media, for example, either had the fight a draw or Golovkin winning, albeit by a narrow margin.

In any case, at a press conference held Monday afternoon in Manhattan, Alvarez acknowledged that the controversial nature of the second bout – as well as, presumably, the first one – is fueling him ahead of his third foray in the ring with Golovkin.

The two are set to face each other in a 168-pound undisputed title match on DAZN Pay-Per-View on Sept. 17 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“It was a close fight,” Alvarez said of the second bout during a press scrum. “I’m motivated to end this rivalry.”

Asked to clarify that he ‘understood’ that many observers did not believe he earned the nod over Golovkin in the second fight, Alvarez responded, “I understand.”

Alvarez, 31, has wasted no time in setting a confrontational tone in the build-up for the Golovkin fight in September. The Mexican superstar and current undisputed 168-pound champion has vowed to end the Kazakh’s boxing career and has approached his face-offs with Golovkin with a degree of malice not typical from the typically laid-back fighter.

Alvarez, in particular, has stated that his animus for Golovkin stems from seemingly derogatory comments he has made over the past several years.

The second fight between Golovkin and Alvarez was supposed to happen in March 2018, but the fight was temporarily waylaid after Alvarez tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol. Alvarez blamed the results on contaminated meat from Mexico, but Golovkin has never bought that alibi and has made various forceful comments over the years suggesting Alvarez was intentionally trying to cheat.

Alvarez’s problem with Golovkin is that he believes the Kazakh does not have the mettle to say those things to his face.

“Like I say, I hate that kind of person,” Alvarez said.