Tonight (Sat., May 7, 2016) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, two of boxing’s biggest figures collide for the Middleweight title as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez puts his WBC title on the line against former Olympian Amir Khan.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE coverage of “Canelo vs. Khan,” starting with the HBO pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast TONIGHT at 9 p.m. ET.
Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KO) and Khan (31-3, 19 KO) will battle it out at a 155-pound catchweight, the same weight at which the Mexican sensation outdueled Miguel Cotto to win the aforementioned belt. The ostensible size discrepancy and Khan’s issues with power-punchers have Alvarez pegged as a heavy favorite, although the English speedster is no pushover.
The fight is bolstered by a solid undercard line up, featuring a classic prospect vs. veteran matchup in the co-feature and a pair of middleweight bang fests to start things off. Unbeaten Frankie Gomez (20-0, 13 KO) looks to finally live up to his incredible potential against the ever-craft Mauricio Herrera (22-5, 7 KO), David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KO) attempts to bounce back against Glen Tapia (23-2, 15 KO), and Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KO) takes a step up against the wicked left hook of Curtis Stevens (27-5, 20 KO).
“CANELO VS. KHAN” QUICK RESULTS:
Middleweight Championship: Saul Alvarez vs. Amir Khan
Middleweight: David Lemieux def. Glen Tapia by TKO at 0:56 of Round Four
Welterweight: Frankie Gomez def. Mauricio Herrera by unanimous decision (100-90 x3)
Middleweight: Curtis Stevens def. Patrick Teixeira by TKO at 1:04 of Round Two
“CANELO VS. KHAN” ROUND-BY-ROUND COVERAGE:
Saul Alvarez vs. Amir Khan
Round one:
Round two:
Round three:
Round four:
Round five:
Round six:
Round seven:
Round eight:
Round nine:
Round ten:
Round eleven:
Round twelve:
Final result:
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David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia
Round one: Early right hand from Lemieux after jabs from Tapia. Left hook exchange. Lemieux to the body. Tapia circles as Lemieux stalks. Hard body shots from Lemieux. One minute in. Hard combiantion by the Canadian, capped off with a left downstairs. Left hooks from Lemieux, low and high, that have Tapia retreating. Lemieux connecting well with those hooks. Tapia not offering much besides jabs as Lemieux drills him with a variety of power shots. More hooks, uppercuts, straight rights. Lemieux’s left to the body looks vicious. 10-9 Lemieux.
Round two: Early counter right from Tapia, then some rights to the body. Lemieux with a 2-3, eats more body blows. Tapia looks energized. Tight hook from Lemieux. Right to the body, Tapia answers with a pair upstairs. Body shot. One minute in. Lemieux with a right to the body and left hook upstairs. Tapia dips down to hit the body and eats a bone-rattling left hook. Lemieux follows it up with an overhand right and here comes Lemieux, ripping away to the body and head. Tremendous punches from a patient Lemieux. One minute to go. Clinch. Hard right hand by Lemieux. Tapia to the body. 10-9, 20-18 Lemieux.
Round three: More powerful combinations to the head and body from Lemieux. Tapia seems to have recovered from the last round, but he seems woefully outgunned. One minute in. Hard 2-1 jacks Tapia’s jaw. Tapia to the body inside. Good 1-2 upstairs. Now Tapia’s back in action, landing some solid shots. One minute to go. More of those tight hooks by Lemieux. Right hands land for the Canadian. Tapia with a 1-2 and body shots. They trade until the bell. 10-9, 30-27 Lemieux.
Round four: Lemieux goes right back to drilling Tapia with hooks and uppercuts. VICIOUS left hook and a right behind it send Tapia tumbling to the mat. Tapia makes it back to his feet in plenty of time, but his assistant cornerman steps onto the canvas to stop it. Tapia’s heartbroken, but this one’s over.
Final result: Lemieux def. Tapia by TKO
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Frankie Gomez vs. Mauricio Herrera
Round one: Gomez looking to jab early. Herrera to the body as they clinch, then a trade on the break. Overhand left by Gomez. Both rip to the body. One minute in. Clinch. 3-2 by Gomez. Clinch, phone booth fighting. Gomez lands a left on the exit. Herrera to the body. Clinch. One minute to go. Gomez doing well with his combinations. Clinch. Gomez straight left, clinch. Both work inside. Left hook by Gomez in the corner. 10-9 Gomez.
Round two: Herrera punches into the clinch. Hard hook by Gomez as they separate. Herrera to the body, eats a right. Uppercut from Gomez, working behind his jab. One minute in. 2-1 connects. Combination to the body lands. Gomez controlling the fight at range thus far. Right hand by Gomez, then a flurry on the ropes. More body shots. Herrera continues to advance and target the body. One minute to go. 3-2-3 connects for Gomez. Herrera’s sporting a mouse under his left eye. Gomez cracks him with another right and now it’s bleeding. Terrific combinations by Gomez. 10-9, 20-18 Gomez.
Round three: Herrera advancing, eats uppercuts. Sharp right from Gomez as they pivot. Lovely combination. Gomez currently dominating a very, very good fighter in Herrera. One minute in. Herrera to the body, Gomez answers in kind. Uppercuts land for Gomez. Herrera with a left hook into the clinch. Shovel hook knocks Herrera’s head back. They trade to the body. One minute to go. Gomez digs a right downstairs. They exchange at close range in the corner. Herrera walks into a right hand and ties up. Solid shots from Gomez out of the clinch. 10-9, 30-27 Gomez.
Round four: Herrera digs to the body as they move about the ring. Herrera counter right, Gomez left hook. Heavy exchange in the center, favoring Gomez. Left hook from Gomez. Gomez’s punches are just having so much more impact. Clinch. One minute in. Herrera to the body and they exchange inside. Big left hand and uppercut by Gomez. Clinch. Gomez’s combinations are on point. Brutal uppercuts knock Herrera’s back and a right cross hits home. Gomez putting together punches in the corner as Herrera waves him on. One minute to go. 2-3 from Gomez. Again they roughhouse inside. 10-9, 40-36 Gomez.
Round five: Gomez continues to circle well. Herrera with some solid blows inside, Gomez answers in kind. Gomez is doing a great job of hitting Herrera as the latter leans. Right cross, body shots land on the ropes for Gomez. One minute in. He continues to connect with short shots. Herrera separates, then pursues and walks into another heavy counter. Herrera continues to dig away at the body. They trade on the ropes. One minute to go. Herrera continues to pressure. Gomez cracks him with an uppercut. Body shots by Gomez. Clinch, both land to the body. Herrera with a left hook before the bell. 10-9, 50-45 Gomez.
Round six: Herrera does some solid combination work early. Gomez blasts him with a left hook on the ropes as he flurries. Herrera waits on the ropes as Gomez digs to the body. One minute in. Right to the body from Herrera, clinch. 2-3 lands for Gomez, right hand inside as he takes a body shot. One minute to go. Good work inside by Gomez. Quick exchange. Both tag the body. Gomez knocks him back out of the clinch. Lead uppercut by Gomez. Herrera staying active to little effect. Solid right hand lands for him, he eats one in return before the bell. 10-9, 60-54 Gomez.
Round seven: Gomez has more power, more volume, more accuracy. He’s just dominating an extremely capable opponent. Gomez presses him against the ropes and rips away to the body. One minute in. Herrera just doesn’t have an answer and he’s too far behind on points to have any real chance. Left hook by Gomez. Hard 3-2 as he slings Herrera aside. Accurate combinations on the ropes. One minute to go. Herrera dings away at the body. He’s doing a little better work in the final minute. Clinch. Nice right cross lands for Gomez. Herrera pursues until the bell. 10-9, 70-63 Gomez.
Round eight: Herrera’s persistent, I’ll give him that, but he’s out of answers. Gomez is cracking him with counters on the back foot, battering him to the body on the advance, and dominating their clinch engagements. Herrera still mocking him, eats body shots for his trouble. One minute in. Herrera walks forward, eats a huge right hand that he shrugs off. Straight left this time. Herrera chisels away at the body, eats a left hook. Now Herrera slams home some solid body shots. One minute to go. Herrera’s doing a little better, still eating counters but getting in a few licks. Uppercut and straight right by Gomez. Left hook lands. Herrera digs inside, eats some hard rights for his trouble. 10-9, 80-72 Gomez.
Round nine: Herrera’s still advancing, still eating a whole boatload of punches for his trouble. Gomez doing solid work from both stances. One minute in. Gomez gets him to the corner, does some solid combination work. Hard combo as he gives ground. Clinch. Herrera has taken a lot of punishment tonight. One minute to go. Gomez with a right hand downstairs. Hard shifting left hand. Clinch. More combinations by Gomez. Clinch. Body shots before the bell. 10-9, 90-81 Gomez.
Round ten: Tenth verse, same as the other nine. They trade heavy shots inside, Gomez landing better. Herrera’s still trying, bless him, but he does not have the firepower he needs. One minute in. Double straight left connects for Gomez. Herrera with some solid punches inside. Ref pauses to get Herrera some fresh tape. Gomez welcomes him back with a three-hit combo. Big right hands from Gomez as Herrera bangs away to the body. One minute to go. Another hard uppercut by Gomez. Herrera walking through heavy fire. Clinch. Clinch. BIG counter right that Herrera absorbs. They continue to exchange at close range until the bell. 10-9, 100-90 Gomez.
Final result: Gomez def. Herrera by unanimous decision
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Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens
Round one: Teixeira the southpaw, Stevens orthodox. Teixira working the jab, eats a heavy series of body shots from Stevens. Teixiera comes back with a straight left as he circles. Teixeira to the body. Counter right lands for the American. One minute in. Fairly even thus far. BIG jab puts Teixeira on the retreat and the Brazilian clinches up. Stevens digs to the body as he’s held. Hard right hand hits home. Another left hook as Teixeira flicks out his right. One minute to go. Stevens looking to fire the hook over Teixeira’s jab. Straight left by Teixeira, who’s fallen back into a groove. 10-9 Stevens.
Round two: Teixeira lands his left early on, eats a straight right. Stevens rips to the body, then goes high with the hook. Teixeira answers to the body, bouncing punches off the guard. MONSTER right hand sends Teixeira crashing to the mat. The Brazilian staggers to his feet, but doesn’t respond to the referee’s commands. Brutal knockout from Curtis Stevens.
Final result: Stevens def. Teixeira by TKO
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