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LAS VEGAS – The post-fight hugs between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin were genuine displays of respect from foes who have spent 36 rounds trying to behead each other in the past five years.
Golovkin even kissed Alvarez on the cheek as they hugged just after the final bell rang Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. They continued to gently praise each other during their post-fight interviews with DAZN’s Chris Mannix moments after Alvarez won their 12-round, 168-pound championship fight via unanimous decision.
Álvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) indicated during his post-fight press conference that the professional respect he showed Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) does not mean he has forgotten all the negative things that has Golovkin. said about him since the Mexican superstar tested positive twice for a banned substance, clenbuterol, before their rematch initially took place in May 2018. The four-division champion made it clear that he still has doubts about the character of Golovkin out of the ring. .
“I respect him as a boxer,” Alvarez said. “As a person, I don’t know. but I’m not going to put [it on] that level because I consider myself a good person. So, I tell him, ‘I’m glad to share the ring with you.’ And we give people three good fights.’ So, and I’m glad to share the ring with him and have these three fights. [that] It’s going to be in boxing history.”
Alvarez, 32, always emphasized that his second and third fights were very personal to him because Alvarez constantly called him a cheater for failing the aforementioned performance-enhancing drug tests. Golovkin continually claimed that his rivalry was not personal to him, that it was strictly business.
Regardless of how they feel about each other, Alvarez and Golovkin will be forever connected through one of the greatest boxing rivalries of the 21st century.
Alvarez is the only opponent to have defeated Kazakhstan’s Golovkin during the veteran middleweight champion’s 16-year pro career. The Guadalajara native’s victory on Saturday night was far more convincing than his 12-round majority decision win in their 12-round, 160-pound rematch in September 2018 at T-Mobile Arena.
“To be honest,” Álvarez said, “you know, I’m very happy that I managed to beat one of the best fighters in the world, Genady Golovkin. Perhaps in the future another fighter will come with whom I will have a similar relationship. You know, we had three great fights and I respect him as a fighter.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
