Canelo Alvarez Dominates Charlo in All-Undisputed Clash to Retain Super-Middleweight Title
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez silenced his critics on Saturday night with a commanding victory over Jermell Charlo to maintain his status as the unified super middleweight champion.
With scores of 119-108, 118-109, and 118-109 in his favor, Alvarez (60-2-2) left no room for doubt in the judges’ minds. The fight statistics were equally one-sided, with Alvarez landing a staggering 42 punches compared to Charlo’s paltry 11, most of them being power punches.
Charlo, the unified junior middleweight champion, had boldly moved up two weight classes to take on Alvarez, but the decision didn't prove fruitful. “I just felt like I wasn’t me in there,” Charlo admitted. “I don’t make excuses for myself, so it is what it is. I take my punches and roll with it.”
Despite the height and reach advantage held by Charlo (35-2-1), Alvarez, standing at 5-foot-8, was relentless in asserting his experience and skills throughout the match.
Now, Charlo sets his sights on a possible showdown with Terence Crawford, the undefeated welterweight and super welterweight champion. “I’ll move back to 154 (pounds),” Charlo stated. “This morning, I weighed like 172 or 173 pounds. I’ll grandfather myself into this. I’m proud of myself. He didn’t knock me out. He knocked all them other guys out. He hit me with some hard shots. I thought I got mine off.”
Alvarez had faced uncertainty after a unanimous decision loss to Dmitry Bivol in May 2022, but his performance against Charlo showcased a rekindling of his former prowess. The question that now looms is whether the Mexican-born fighter can sustain this level of excellence.
As for Alvarez’s future opponents, the path is unclear. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has mandated David Benavidez as the super middleweight belt's next challenger, but Alvarez has not committed to this bout. If he declines, the WBC may vacate his championship.
When questioned about his future plans, Alvarez cryptically remarked, “Cinco de Mayo against whoever. I don’t care.” Alvarez's training camp strategy, which focused on attacking Charlo’s body, paid dividends. Round after round, Alvarez relentlessly targeted Charlo’s midsection, creating significant impact.
“We know he’s a great fighter,” Alvarez commented. “He knows how to move in the ring. We worked on attacking the body for three months. For three months in the mountains without my family, without everything.”
Despite a cautious start from both fighters, Alvarez took control in the second round, transitioning into the aggressor. Charlo remained defensive, hoping for an opening that never arrived.
In the fourth round, Alvarez unleashed a barrage of power punches, leaving Charlo playing catch-up. Charlo’s best round came in the fifth, where he delivered some notable blows, but Alvarez ended the round strongly.
Bolstered by his performance at the end of the fifth round, Alvarez regained control in the sixth, going after Charlo with a flurry of shots that excited the pro-Alvarez crowd. A pivotal moment arrived in the seventh round when Alvarez sent Charlo to his knee with a powerful right hook and uppercut. This marked only the second time Charlo had been knocked down in his career, but he bravely got back up.
Alvarez maintained his dominance throughout the rest of the fight, with the outcome never seriously in question. “I wasn’t disappointed not to get the knockout,” Alvarez said. “I feel great. That’s why we fight 12 rounds. If I don’t get the knockout, I get 12 rounds to show I’m the best, that I’m the better fighter. That’s why it’s 12 rounds, to show who’s better.”
With this emphatic victory, Alvarez firmly reestablished himself as a force to be reckoned with in the boxing world.
SportsLigue