How can a person watch a boxing match and feel assured that the most active fighter is probably the winner only to see the official victor is the opponent who looked like the loser? Oxymoronic?
On Saturday, April 20 at the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas before 40,000 boxing fans Saul “El Canelo” Alvarez, 42-0-1, 30 knockouts, not only retained his W.B.C. Super Welterweight Crown but also went home with the W.B.A. Super Welterweight Championship. He defeated Austin “No Doubt” Trout, 27-1, 14 k.o.’s, in a torridly contested fight.
Many observers thought that Trout was the victor by decision. Perhaps the explanation or justification for that questionable decision favoring the home town favorite is that although Trout appeared to be the more active fighter throughout the entire 12 rounds offensively, El Canelo was indeed the stronger fighter. He hurt Trout repeatedly, even scoring a knockdown in round 7. It came from a powerful right hand punch that almost ended the fight.
Trout a south paw, seemed not to recover from that punch — he was fighting back just to survive, scoring sporadically with just jabs and an occasional left hand.
Throughout the fight Alvarez, although lackadaisical at times, made Trout miss constantly and countered with his strong hurting punches. By coincidence last week, April 13 at Radio City Music Hall, Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux fought Nonito Donaire in the same style — and defeated him unanimously.
Are we to see more boxing and defensive skills in the near future fights instead of knockout wars?
The decision was unanimous with Judge Stanley Christodoulou scoring a lopsided 118-109 while Judges Oren Schellenberger and Ray Danesco scored the fight 116-111 and 115-112 respectively in favor of Alvarez.
The fight in my opinion was so close that since I had scored two rounds even, I judged the fight a draw.
The problem in this fight and in future fights in Texas State is that a new policy has been instituted by it’s State Boxing Commissions — to announce the fighter who is ahead at the round 4 mark and round 8 mark. The fighter losing at those points, in this case Trout, then has to step out of prepared game plans to reverse the tide. The fighter ahead can coast home.
That explains why Canelo Alvarez at the end of the fight was already awarded the three championship belts before the official announcement of his victory over a very disappointed or perhaps angry Trout. The loser diplomatically praised Alvarez as being a good fighter and champion. “It was a very hard fight which I thought I won, and I can only hope that Canelo gives me a re-match,” Trout said.
A rematch does not seem likely. During contract agreements, unfairly, Alvarez demanded and was guaranteed a return match if he lost; Trout was denied the same clause if he lost.
Where is the justice?
Trout will have to go back to his Las Cruces, New Mexico home and start all over again after a short rest and his planned but postponed wedding with his fiancé because of this fight. “I’ll be back,” declared Trout at the post fight ring interview as he carried his crying five-year-old son back to the dressing room; the rest of the family sadly followed.
As for Canelo Alvarez he is now enjoying an open fight schedule. Doubts of his desired mega fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. have been removed. It is expected that Mayweather will easily defeat Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero on May 5 defending his 147 pound crown. Alvarez could now challenge Mayweather or Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez the Middleweight Champ.
He also could be kept very busy defending his three titles against a community of Junior Middleweights or Super Welterweights such as contenders: Arislandi Lara; James Kirkland; Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo; or, many others.
To the victor belong the spoils and now Canelo can return the W.B.A.belt he won from Trout to his brother Rigoberto who lost it to Trout. “This fight was also about blood and revenge and I was not going to leave this ring without achieving both,” he said.
