Well, there was no controversy, and that’s a good thing for a sport that has seen far too much controversy over the past few weeks or so. Fight fans, a good number of them at last, were braced for a controversial, ‘he can’t lose a decision in Las Vegas’ points win being handed to middleweight champ Canelo Alvarez at the conclusion of last night’s unification clash with Daniel Jacobs.
But while the fight surprised no-one by going all 12-rounds, there was nothing wrong with the decision – scores of 116-112 and 115-113 (twice) that went to the Mexican star. There was no robbery, not even close. Canelo deserved his points win and only the most stubbornly ardent Jacobs fan would try to claim otherwise. The fight, at times quite thrilling, at other times too defensive from both sides, was good, but far from great.
There is really no need for a rematch between Canelo and Jacobs; no reason to feel “The Miracle Man” would be able to sufficiently up his game and get the win this time. Jacobs said after the fight how he “gave my all” – but did he really? It was a good effort from the New Yorker (and though we must never forget the enormous odds Jacobs was able to overcome to be still fighting in the first place, no fighter is given extra points or credit in the ring for having beaten the cruel disease Jacobs defeated) but is anyone really clamouring for a rematch?
Jacobs may well move up to 168, so massive is he for a middleweight; while Canelo said post-fight how he wants the biggest challenges out there. That would be a third fight with former champ Gennady Golovkin. GGG was ringside and he was underwhelmed by what he saw in the ring last night.
Taking to twitter, GGG wrote:
“I saw no emotions, nothing special today. It was a nice sparring match. Boring. They should have given more to the fans.”
Golovkin must take care of Steve Rolls on June 8 – a fight that will see the 37 year old box his DAZN debut, under new trainer Jonathan Banks – but after that, he will no doubt be calling for that third fight with Canelo. For his part, Canelo said last night how in his opinion he and GGG are “done,” but that if the fans want to see it, he will “beat him a third time.”
It’s a fight that has to happen, and despite what he says, Canelo HAS got unfinished business with Triple-G. Canelo has no such thing with Jacobs.
