As predicted Canelo Alvarez is Brutally Victorious
BoxingGlove Notes
Distinio Lois, Jr.
When a person is correct in predicting the outcome of an event there is elation mixed with some honest remorse even though as a writer you are duty bound to cold bloodedly state and stand by your position, which is the “Code of Responsive Journalism”.
Last Sunday night, May 8, 2016 at around 12:10 a.m. Amir “King” Khan was knocked out by Saul “El Canelo” Alvarez at 2:37 seconds of the 6th round at the newly built T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Defending his Ring Magazine, Lineal & W.B.C. Middleweight titles, Alvarez with powerful head and body punches throughout rounds, 4, 5, & 6 suddenly ended the fight with a laser-like counter punching right hand that rendered Khan unconscious, and ended his dreams of winning the 160 pound title even before he hit the ring canvas.
Referee Kenny Bayless did not count , and waved the fight over as he summoned the ring doctors to attend to Khan as the cheering Canelo fans-over 17,000-became quiet in a funereal mode due to Khan’s condition.
They immediately responded with applause and cheers when Khan stood up and waved to the crowd and smiled.
The fight billed as an elimination mega championship fight to determine who would fight Gennady “3G” Golovkin the 4 time middleweight crown holder in September, 2016, started to prove the experts wrong who had declared that Khan a decided underdog would not last 1 round much less 6.
Well prepared by veteran trainer Virgil Hunter, I saw from the first round bell a very confident, speedy, offensive, and defensive-man on a mission-Khan who took the fight to Canelo hitting him with jabs, hard right hands to head and body slowing him down and somewhat confusing him.Canelo threw many punches that missed the speedy ever moving Khan.
What began to look as an upset throughout the first 4 rounds, Canelo at the strong desperate instructions of his trainers, Eddie & Chepo Reynoso did begin to cut the ring off to the speedy Khan and began to hit him and hurt him towards the end of round 4.
Khan courageously fought back although hurt throughout the 5th round giving the fans the feeling that this fight was going to go the entire 12 round distance, to a decision.Canelo seemed to tire due to his inability to control Khan who moved a lot.
When the 5th round began you noticed a change of strategy-plan B-in Canelo who then began to move forward pounding Khan severely with head and body punches hurting him and more importantly slowing him down making him an almost stationary target.
Khan fought back bravely but he was out-punched every time he exchanged punches with the take no prisoners, raging bull, Alvarez who began to taste victory, and after the 5th round ended he-Canelo- walked back to his corner with a smile on his face which equaled the smiles of his trainers. “That’s exactly what you have to do every round from now on”, stated Chepo.
Canelo with the look of a lion who tasted blood rushed out of his corner in the 6th round and continued to pound a weakening Khan even throwing upper-cuts and at the 2 minute mark of the 6th round Canelo faked his jab and threw a hard right hand hitting Khan on his left jaw almost spinning him around at a 60’ degree angle as he went down hitting his head on the canvas with a dull scary thud ending the fight 37 seconds later.
At the post fight ring interview a smiling but still shaky Amir Khan stated “It was very difficult to turn down an offer to fight the best even if I had to go up and out of my weight class, but that’s boxing.I will definitely go back down to my natural weight of 147 pounds and fight for a world title.”
Surprisingly, he further stated, “now Canelo should show his ‘balls’ and fight 3G like he is supposed to instead of avoiding him”, which was echoed by Trainer Hunter when he stated, “We took the risk, set the tone and it is time you did it Canelo”.
Those statements angered Canelo Alvarez who then stated, “I am not afraid of anyone and I’ll put on the gloves right now and invite 3G Golovkin who is in audience into the ring and we’ll fight right now. Then we will see who has the bigger balls.”
It was a good fight with an early anticipation of an upset, but the result as predicted prevailed because even a courageous or suicidal Amir Khan knew he was in over his head from the very beginning.
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
Perhaps as a new standard policy of safety, fighters who are knocked out like Khan are ambulanced to the nearest hospital for precautionary reasons.
When Referee Bayless waved the fight over, Canelo Alvarez in a gesture of good sportsmanship kneeled next to the fallen Khan in an attempt to aid him.
Before the knockout the 3 presiding fight judges were divided in scoring the fight up to the 5th round. Glen Feldman scored 49-46 for Alvarez / Adelaide Byrd scored 48-47 for Khan while Glenn Trowbridge scored 48-47 for Alvarez.
Black Star News had Khan ahead by 49-46 anticipating an upset.
Amir Khan should take a long rest between 6 months to a year although he could indeed still train, but no sparring. Knockouts like the one he suffered have a long lasting effect.
