Alvarez Bests Chavez Before Sellout Crowd, Setting Up Golovkin Bout

Canelo Alvarez defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by unanimous decision last night before a sold-out crowd of 20,510 at T-Mobile Arena, and there was a "distinct Latino flavor" at the Las Vegas venue. Boxing fans "wore either red (Canelo) or green (Chavez) headbands as they celebrated the Cinco de Mayo weekend by chanting 'Mexico, Mexico.'" After winning, Alvarez "invited Gennady Golovkin into the ring and announced a long-awaited clash" on Sept. 16. The "venue is undetermined" (AP, 5/7). The announcement of the Alvarez-GGG fight was broadcast to HBO's PPV audience, and the matchup is a "badly needed shot in the arm for a sport that has shown signs of an awakening" (USATODAY.com, 5/7).