Canelo shuts out Chavez Jr for UD in HBO PPV main from Tmobile Arena

The sold-out crowd got its money’s worth tonight inside the T-Mobile Arena from Las Vegas, Nevada as Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr headlined their first PPV on HBO in a fan-friendly fight. From the opening round there wasn’t much of a feeling out process since both men traded power punches at close range choosing to trade hard punches rather stick and move. ‎Chavez operated with a long straight right hand shot and Canelo with a mean left hook to the liver that he would often double up on.

However, as much as they were both eager to trade it was Chavez Jr who would give his man too much respect. The ‘Son of the Legend’ ‎backed up too often and didn’t do himself any favors by having a conventional ‎but wide stance. That, plus his bad habit of hunching over gave away his height and reach advantage since he was always in range to be hit by Canelo’s punches be it the body shot left hook or right hand straight or an uppercut.

Showcasing his superb conditioning, Canelo opted to stand during the 60-second break in-between all of the rounds. This may also have been mind games or a tribute to Chavez Sr who did the same during his professional career. Round 6 had the fans in attendance ‎go crazy for a few moments as late in the stanza Canelo purposely stood with his back along the ropes inviting Chavez Jr to come in and bang. The former WBC middleweight champion obliged however, his body assault was blocked by a solid Alvarez guard and in the pocket Canelo landed a straight or counter hook that found their mark making Chavez Jr shy away.

In the second half of the fight Canelo had grown very comfortable ‎in sliding backwards towards the ropes and rolling with Chavez Jr’s punches. At the halfway mark of Round 9 he showcased this by putting his back along the ropes, using upper body movement to avoid damage then sticking his man with a stiff jab or long right hand. Sometimes Canelo would be so comfortable throwing it that he would lift off the ground standing on his heel, turning his waist, reaching over for maximum power. For whatever reason Chavez Jr opted out of mixing in uppercuts of his own down the middle and left his jab back in the locker room for those 36 minutes.

In the championship rounds Canelo Alvarez bent over, used angles, dipped and threw punches. Landing from range, in the pocket with lead hooks and jabbing with the accuracy of a sniper. Once the final bell rang the judges all saw it 120-108 for Alvarez (49-1-1) as he hands Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (50-3-1) only his second points loss of his pro career. Canelo invited unbeaten Gennady Golovkin to the ring after firmly saying into the microphone to Max Kellerman for the post-fight interview, “You’re Next”.
Golovkin walked out to his “Seven Nation Army” song by The White Stripes, shook Alvarez’ hand and agreed to a September 2017 date likely in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena.