The combat sports world was abuzz with last night’s (Sat., September 15, 2018) thrilling Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin II rematch from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The battle was an instant classic that had most split down the middle as to whom was the real winner, but in the end, everyone agreed that it was the fans who won. Many scored it for Golovkin and said he was robbed on the judges’ cards, yet Alvarez emerged victorious to only add more controversy to the heap that was already leftover from their lambasted draw in 2017.
Yet while many are still up in arms for “GGG,” his trainer Abel Sanchez doesn’t feel the same way. Boxing trainer Abel Sanchez told FightHubTV (via Bloody Elbow) that he wouldn’t make excuses for the loss because Alvarez deserved credit for winning:
“It’s two great fighters. For me to say that Golovkin wasn’t at his best would take away from Canelo. We’ve gotta give Canelo the credit, too, that he was able to do the things that he needed to do tonight. It doesn’t happen every night, but for me to tell you that Golovkin wasn’t at his best would be taking away from a great victory for Canelo.”
Sanchez clarified that the rivalry, which included Alvarez being suspended for two positive drug tests, was never personal for him. He was glad that the fans ultimately were able to wash the bad taste of the first match from their collective mouths:
“I’m very proud of the fight that they gave us tonight. I’m very proud that another Mexican is a champion, especially on September 15. I’m happy for the fans. The fans won tonight. I think that they were uninspired from the first one, I think they’re very inspired from this one.”
“For me, it was never personal, it was always business. I’m just happy that the fight itself was a great fight and that the fans came out winning.”
While the second fight indeed went far in erasing the bad memories of the first match, there’s seemingly still some unfinished business due to the rematch being such a razor-thin call.
Most observers – be they for Canelo or GGG – think a trilogy should be in the making, and Sanchez is no outlier. He scored the fight a draw and believes the two boxing stars should fight a third time:
“I scored the fight even. I thought that the 12th round was the pivotal round. I said to Golovkin in the corner that I thought we were behind in about the 8th or 9th, and I told him I needed the rounds at the end. I thought it was even, but you know what? Canelo won, and that’s what’s important.”
“I think it merits (a third fight). I think this fight was a one-round fight.”
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