Canelo vs GGG 3

Canelo vs GGG 3 Set for Sept. 17 in Las Vegas

By Uppercut Magazine staff

(Photo by Al Applerose)

HOLLYWOOD, CA-Only in Hollywood could they stage the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez versus Gennady “GGG” Golovkin announcement of their third fight.

Only in Hollywood.

“You’re talking about two icons in boxing. Two fighters with worldwide recognition. They don’t like each other,” said Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing. “I don’t see this fight going 12 rounds.”

Like the reincarnation of a King Kong versus Godzilla sequel the two super middleweight boxing behemoths gathered at the Hollywood Legion Theater near the historic Hollywood Bowl to formally announce their third clash.

“I think he is going to be surprised at my resistance,” said Alvarez at the press conference. “Knockout is what I see.”

Canelo (57-2-2, 39 Kos) will meet Triple G (42-1-1, 37 Kos) a third time at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 17. Tickets went on sale and are expected to sell out quickly for the super middleweight showdown.

You would expect them to be cordial and respectful of each other’s talent, but you would be wrong. They hate each other.

Canelo called Golovkin “an a---hole” and accused the fighter from Kazakhstan of being a two-face.

Golovkin has previously called Canelo a drug cheat on social media platforms but you never know which are real and which are true. He wasn’t sure he would ever get a third fight with the Mexican fighter, but here it is.

“It is reasonable for him to take this fight. I feel absolutely comfortable,” said Golovkin about fighting Alvarez at 168 pounds. “It’s just another fight just another opponent.”

Still, the two warriors do not like each other.

In their first battle in September 2017, the redhead Mexican fighter moved and gave angles against the hunter-killer style of Golovkin. At the time Alvarez was still feeling his oats and did not know if he could match strength against strength against the undefeated middleweight. It ended in a split draw as three judges gave three different scores.

Mexico’s Alvarez was accused by Golovkin’s trainer Abel Sanchez of not fighting like a Mexican.

A second fight took place a year later after a brief wait due to a failed PED test by Alvarez. He blamed it on Mexican meat and then moved his camp out of Mexico for good. Their sequel was moved to September 2018 at T-Mobile Arena again.

In the second clash it was Alvarez moving forward and staying in the pocket where he matched Golovkin blow for blow. After 12 brutal rounds the judges score a majority decision for Alvarez.

Alvarez was satisfied but Golovkin and his followers were not. A third fight was proposed but some of the unkind words spoken by the Kazakhstan fighter upset Canelo and he refused to meet Triple G a third time claiming it was unnecessary.

Alvarez moved up in weight to challenge super middleweight champions Rocky Fielding, Daniel Jacobs, and Sergey Kovalev the light heavyweight titlist. He then signed a lucrative contract with Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN. He was on stop of the world at $30 million a fight.

But then the world was hit with the coronavirus pandemic.

Unable to secure a fight Alvarez demanded a release from Golden Boy Promotions and was granted it by the Los Angeles outfit. He then made an agreement with Matchboxing Promotions and under their banner met and defeated Callum Smith, Avni Yildirim, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant in succession.

This past May the Mexican redhead met his Waterloo when he moved up to light heavyweight and was defeated by Russia’s Dmitrii Bivol by decision. He had met the glass ceiling.

Meanwhile, Golovkin was on a different journey. Unable to meet marquee fighters he clashed with Steve Rolls, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Kamil Szeremeta, and Ryota Murata. Plus, he is now 40 years old.

Alvarez is 31 and turns 32 next month.

Its’ been four years since the two warriors last met in the prize ring.