Floyd
Mayweather Jr. Beats Canelo Alvarez In Majority Decision
(PHOTOS)
LAS
VEGAS -- Canelo Alvarez proved nothing more than easy money
for Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather turned one of the richest fights ever into just
another $41.5 million payday Saturday night, dominating
Alvarez from the opening bell and winning a majority
decision in a masterful performance that left no doubt who
the best fighter of his era is.
Fighting off his shortest layoff in years, Mayweather was
sharp, efficient and sometimes brutal in dismantling an
unbeaten fighter who was bigger and was supposed to punch
harder. He frustrated Alvarez early, pounded him with big
right hands in the middle rounds, and made him look just
like he said he would - like any other opponent.
Mayweather was favored 117-111 and 116-112 on two ringside
scorecards while a third had the fight 114-114. The
Associated Press scored it 119-109 for Mayweather.
"I just listened to my corner, listened to my dad,"
Mayweather said. "My dad had a brilliant game plan, and I
went out there and got the job done."
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
AP
Mayweather
remained unbeaten in 45 fights and added another piece of
the junior middleweight title to his collection in a fight
that was fought at a 152-pound limit. Alvarez weighed in at
that weight, but was an unofficial 165 pounds when he got
into the ring while Mayweather, who weighed in at 150 1/2
pounds, was an even 150.
Mayweather's speed was the difference all night as he was
able to land straight rights and left jabs, then get out of
the way before Alvarez was able to respond. But while
Mayweather used great defense, he wasn't afraid to attack
often and at different angles, finding Alvarez with punches
he couldn't anticipate.
"He's very talented, very elusive," Alvarez said.
When it was over, Mayweather didn't even celebrate, walking
over to a corner to look at the crowd. Just another payday,
just another win for Money May. The only suspense came when
it was announced the decision wasn't unanimous.
"I can't control what the judges do," Mayweather said.
Alvarez was supposed to be Mayweather's greatest challenge
and he did his best to force the action. Like others,
though, he couldn't solve the puzzle that is Mayweather and
spent much of his night punching at an opponent who had
already moved away from him.
"I didn't know how to get him, it's extremely simple,"
Alvarez said. "He's a great fighter, very intelligent. The
frustration was getting in there, but he's a great fighter.
We tried to catch him."
The sellout crowd at the MGM Grand tried its best to urge
Alvarez on, but the cheers of "Canelo! Canelo!" were faint
and wistful by the late rounds. Mayweather was so much in
charge that the only question was whether the ringside
judges would allow him to pitch a shutout.
Mayweather came out aggressive and used his speed to hit
Alvarez with one or two shots in the early rounds and then
get safely out of the way. Alvarez tried to stalk
Mayweather and throw right hands, but Mayweather was
usually safely out of the way by the time the punches
arrived.
"He's a tough competitor," Mayweather said. "A tough
competitor."
Alvarez kept trying to force the fight, but every time he
went after Mayweather he paid for it with a counter right
or a combination to the head. By the fourth round he was
beginning to get frustrated, landing a low blow that
angered Mayweather, who was further angered when Alvarez
refused to touch gloves with him to resume the fight.
The fight was one of the richest ever - if not the richest
ever - with a live gate of $20 million and at least another
$100 million from pay-per-view. Tickets were so hot that
celebrities were actually offering to buy them and some
tickets were being offered online for as much as $29,000.
Mayweather was the big beneficiary of that, making a
guaranteed $41.5 million to $5 million for Alvarez. Add in
his purse from his win over Robert Guererro in May and
Mayweather made $73 million in two fights - easily making
him the highest-paid athlete in the country.
Alvarez had some star power himself, with his red hair,
good lucks and big punching power winning over most of his
native Mexico. The fight was on free TV in Mexico, and some
estimates were that 70 million people would watch.