Looking Back at Canelo vs. Gennady Golovkin 2: Did ‘GGG’ Get Robbed?

Published 03/03/2021, 10:00 AM EST

Scoring in boxing is one of the most controversial aspects, especially in recent years. The best example of this was the two fights between middleweights, Canelo Alvarez, and Gennady Golovkin. So let’s look at the rematch and see if the Kazakh got robbed of victory.

The pair fought for the first time in 2017. However, the fight garnered heaps of criticism after the results declared a draw. Many felt ‘GGG’ won the fight easily. Hence, the duo met for the second time in 2018 to settle the scores.

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This time Alvarez took a fresh approach. Both fighters promised not to leave it to the judges. However, the Mexican started on the front foot and did not rely only on counter-punches as he did in the first.

As a result, Alvarez was more accurate than Golovkin, even though ‘Triple G’ may have thrown more. The statistics for the fight reflected this. As per CompuBox, Alvarez landed 32% of his total punches in comparison to Golovkin’s 26%.

When broken down further, Canelo out-landed the Kazakh 23% to 21% in jabs thrown and 39% to 35% in power punches thrown. This showed that despite ‘GGG’ being the busier of the two, Alvarez was more effective.

READ: Who Defeated Floyd Mayweather?

Canelo Alvarez beat Gennady Golovkin even without considering the stats

Numbers can be misinterpreted, and thus, they may not tell the actual story. However, even when you don’t consider the numbers, it is difficult to pinpoint where ‘Triple G’ was better than Alvarez on the night.

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Yes, Golovkin was the busier on the night. However, that doesn’t count for much, especially when you don’t land. Alvarez displayed flashes of slick defending and movement and showed his maturity and boxing IQ.

Alvarez moved well, attacked in bursts, and ensured he won rounds. And although Golovkin made it entertaining by attempting more punches, he never had a grip on the fight. Therefore, it was a classic case of a technical boxer out-boxing a hard-hitter.

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What did you make of Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin 2? Do you think the pair need to run it back a third time?

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Leonardo Carvalho is a Boxing Writer for EssentiallySports. Before working as a boxing web journalist, Leonardo dabbled in roles ranging from an SEO specialist to a Chegg expert. Alongside his current role, Leonardo runs a YouTube channel where he combines his passion for fitness with sports.

Looking Back at Canelo vs. Gennady Golovkin 2: Did ‘GGG’ Get Robbed?

Canelo Alvarez beat Gennady Golovkin even without considering the stats

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