MEXICO’S Saul “Canelo” Alvarez ended Gennady Golovkin’s unbeaten reign as unified middleweight champion here Saturday, battling to victory by majority decision in a pulsating rematch.
Alvarez showed skill and durability to outlast Golovkinin another attritional contest between the two evenly-matched rivals at the T-Mobile Arena, one year after they had fought to a controversial draw at the same venue.
Alvarez inflicted the first defeat of Kazakh slugger Golovkin’s career after two judges scored it 115-113 in his favour, with another judge scoring it even at 114-114.
“I am a great fighter, and I showed it tonight,” Alvarez said.
“If the people want another round, I’ll do it again,” added Alvarez, who improves to 50-1-2. “I feel satisfied because I gave a great fight. It was a clear victory.”
Golovkin, who fell to 38-1-1 after the loss, left the ring without speaking to television reporters.