It is a notion that runs through all levels of competition, with a large emphasis placed on showing reverence for your opponent.
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The bout was billed as being the latest in a long rivalry between Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters, but save for action in rounds 4 and 8, the bout was more a technical display of skill than the all-out war a few people expected. The WBC had designated the victor to face mandatory challenger Gennady Golovkin, who holds the WBO, IBF and IBO titles. For one evening, though, we got a solid chess match between two boxer-punchers with the young gun coming out on top against the old pro.
The pair’s embrace attracted the attention of fans on social media. Golovkin packed Madison Square Garden last month for his win over David Lemieux, and Cotto-Alvarez could cap off the year with a huge fight of their own.
“We hear that Cotto is throwing 300 punches a round, they have him training extra rounds”, said De La Hoya via Boxing Scene.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez got the benefit of a unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC and lineal middleweight titles against Miguel Cotto.
The official judges’ scores were 117-11, 119-109 and 118-110, while the Associated Press adjudged Alvarez a 116-112 victor.
This newspaper had Alvarez winning 116-112.
But this is the real-life story behind Saturday’s bout between Canelo Alvarez and Miguel Cotto. As the fight went on, though, he began landing more of his punches as he patiently stalked Cotto around the ring. Canelo Alvarez will rely mostly on his youth and physical tenacity while Cotto expects that his experience and knockout power will be enough to seal the win. He was stripped of his 118-pound title, and his fight with interim titlist Lee Haskins (32-3, 14 KOs), of England, was canceled because of the weight disparity. I have respect for him, but if we do fight it’s going to be at my weight class. I’m the champion.
Near the end of the second round, Alvarez started to figure Cotto out. Then there were sporadic counter punches landed crisply by Alvarez as Cotto charged in on the offensive.
At times, Cotto made Alvarez miss and miss wildly, but the instances when Alvarez did land, the impact was felt throughout the arena. Cotto was getting in, getting out and using lateral movement. “The biggest thing about him before was that he’d put his back on the ropes to draw guys in and take a punch”.
He will have all sorts of advantages in the ring Saturday night, (size, youth, strength), but will be able to translate it into a victory is the question surrounding the night. While he has since recorded wins over Alfredo Angulo, Erislandy Lara and James Kirkland, a win over Cotto, a man vastly more experienced when it comes to clashing with the best, would be a colossal statement from the 25-year-old.
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Cotto, who earned $15 million, fell to 40-5, while Alvarez improved to 46-1-1. With each round that passed, Canelo seemed to go from strength to strength.
