Canelo Alvarez-GGG Ends In Split Draw Before Sold-Out Crowd

A "frenzied crowd of 22,358 at the T-Mobile Arena roared throughout the fight" as Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin "put on the kind of show that boxing purists had anticipated." The bout "lived up to its hype as the two fighters traded huge punches and went after each other for 12 rounds." Both "landed some huge punches to the head that had the crowd screaming in excitement." Alvarez "was guaranteed" $5M, while Golovkin had a $3M guarantee. But both were "expected to make much more on a share" of the PPV revenue (AP, 9/17). The action "didn't disappoint, even if the result did" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/17).

Judge Adalaide Byrd "stunningly had it 118-110 for Alvarez." Byrd gave Golovkin only the fourth and seventh rounds on a scorecard that "likely will go down as one of the most shocking in boxing history" (ESPN.com, 9/17). A draw was "not unfair and was the same result many ringside observers had on their personal scorecards." But the way it arrived "left much to be desired, and the crowd, even many Mexican fans devoted to Alvarez, were loud with their disapproval" (USATODAY.com, 9/17).