Canelo vs Golovkin, Saunders vs Monroe Jr and Smith vs Skoglund guarantees a night of epic boxing drama
Boxing on TV: Despite the wide range of boxing available to watch this evening, most attention will deservedly be based on Las Vegas, where two world class boxers finally come to blows
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Your support makes all the difference.One of the biggest boxing nights this year features three excellent main events taking place in three different locations. In Las Vegas, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin meet in a bout years in the making for three middleweight world title belts, while Billy Joe Saunders defends the fourth in London against Willie Monroe Jr.
Meanwhile, Callum Smith and Erik Skoglund battle as the super middleweight version of the World Boxing Super Series kicks off in Liverpool.
Despite the wide range of boxing available to watch this evening, most attention will deservedly be based on Las Vegas, where two world class boxers finally come to blows. Long considered as the man who will replace Floyd Mayweather as the highest earning boxer in the sport, Saul Alvarez has built an enviable career over the past 12 years.
The 27-year-old made his professional debut as a 15-year-old, and 51 fights later has become a three-time world champion across two weight categories. The flame haired Mexican has earned significant victories over the likes of Miguel Cotto, Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara, while he’s also made a habit of dismantling British opposition.
Amir Khan, Liam Smith, Ryan Rhodes and Matthew Hatton have all been beaten by Alvarez, whose lone loss came in 2013 against Floyd Mayweather.
Alvarez has certainly improved from that fight, which saw him tactically outclassed by an American who just knew far too much on the night. A move up in weight has seen him improve on his power, while his punch-picking and ring awareness remain world class. On form he’s capable of not just beating, but dominating most boxers, but Gennady Golovkin isn’t just a boxer, he’s a phenom.
A man blessed with the ability to appear both warm and dangerous at the same time, Golovkin is one of the most feared fighters of this era. Devastating power is casually mixed with underrated boxing skills, which earned him a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, and an AIBA World Championships gold medal.
Crushing victories over the likes of Kell Brook, Martin Murray and David Lemieux signified his status as marauding beast, but he came incredibly close to being beaten in his last fight when he narrowly emerged victorious over Danny Jacobs.
Golovkin’s usual control was lacking in the bout, and Jacobs enjoyed success that previous opponents couldn’t even dream of. The American did have significant physical advantages over his Kazakh rival, but this was the first time Golovkin had looked not just vulnerable, but beatable.
With Alvarez approaching his peak and Golovkin seemingly a touch past his prime, the stage is set tonight for a contest that is hard to predict. Despite being the younger man by eight years, is Alvarez, who has already boxed 353 professional rounds really the fresher man? Is he big enough to beat a bonafide middleweight, and not a blown up welterweight or light middleweight?
Can Golovkin avoid the temptation to try and blast the Mexican out early, or will he have the discipline to box, to outthink the thinker and establish a rhythm. The tangibles are huge, and fans across the planet are as indecisive as each other.
This is what a superfight is made out of, where the ambiguity of the potential result is matched by the excitement of knowing that anything can happen.
The bookmakers have Golovkin a narrow 4/6 favourite, with Alvarez available at 6/4. Whoever wins will not just pick up three middleweight world titles, but they’ll also have the opportunity to unify the division against the winner of Billy Joe Saunders vs Willie Monroe Jr, who also box tonight in London.
Saunders has had a frustrating title reign since beating Andy Lee to win the WBO title in December 2015, with only one fight since against Artur Akavov. The 28-year-old laboured to victory in that bout, and will need to perform much better if he’s to retain his belt ahead of earning the chance to bank millions against either Golovkin or Alvarez.
A switch to the Ingle gym in Sheffield has resulted in a new mindset and a new body, but the inactivity is not a good thing for a fighter of Saunders’ nature, who works well with routine and has a frequent habit of fading in the second half of fights. Monroe will be looking to exploit any lethargy, but it’s likely he’ll have to get the job done on points.
The American hasn’t won by stoppage since 2013, and Saunders has a very good chin.
Much was made of the seven-year-old son of Saunders punching and kicking Monroe after the two had weighed in on Friday, and fight enthusiasts will be hoping that’s not the most exciting action this feud will see. Saunders is a significant 4/11 betting favourite, with Monroe available at 3/1.
A move to super middleweight could be on the cards for Saunders in the near future, and one opponent he could face at that weight is Callum Smith, who has business of his own this evening in Liverpool. Smith faces Swede Erik Skoglund in a battle of two undefeated fighters, as the super middleweight World Boxing Super Series begins.
The eight-man tournament promises the overall winner plenty of money and glory, but in order to set up potentially lucrative fights with British rivals George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr, Smith must deal with his strong Swedish opponent who has spent the majority of his career campaigning at light heavyweight.
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