Canelo Alvarez defends the undisputed super middleweight title tonight against Gennadiy Golovkin.
Alvarez won their last bout in September of 2018, permanently shattering Golovkin’s undefeated record. That was a rematch of their first meeting, which took place a year prior to that, and ended in a draw.
Now, four years later and 24 rounds into the competition among the eternal rivals, comes the long-awaited trilogy bout.
Oddsmakers have Alvarez (57-2-2, 39 knockouts) as the overwhelming favorite. He is coming off a rare loss last May, defeated by Dmitry Bivol by a unanimous decision. That took place in the 175-pound weight class, but he is now back to 160 against Golovkin (42-1-1, 37 knockouts). The first two bouts were incredibly close, but age and incentive both stand as an advantage here for Alvarez.
Eight years younger than the 40-year-old Golovkin, this bout represents a chance for Alvarez to reassert himself as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. A win here will help erase the ignominy of that loss to Bivol. Yet this is also Golovkin’s last stand. If he does not emerge victorious, then he will not find himself in another opportunity like this headline bout. A win, however, puts the wheels in motion for a fourth fight (and hopefully we won’t have to wait four years for the rematch).
Ring walks are expected to take place at 11pm ET. Follow along on SI.com for more information.
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