Saul “Canelo” Álvarez says it’s personal. Gennady “GGG” Golovkin says that’s Álvarez’s problem, and Saturday night’s clash at T-Mobile Arena between the two fighters is all business. For boxing fans, it’s a Las Vegas fight night—an off-the-hook holiday of hype, partying, pomp and circumstance, and overall electric atmosphere—during Mexican Independence Day celebrations that will go down in history as the conclusion to one of the sport’s rare three-part rivalries, with the winner raising a glove as undisputed super middleweight champion.
Álvarez, at age 30 the current possessor of all five super-middleweight titles, guarantees maximum box office and pay-per-view draws on streaming service DAZN, which ranks him at No. 4 pound-for-pound across all weight classes. Golovkin, 40, holds middleweight championships sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association. He’ll have to register between 160 and 168 pounds the day of the weigh-in.
Álvarez also needs redemption after losing in an upset to light-heavyweight Dmitry Bivol in May, which may account in part for the steely determination Álvarez exuded at June press conferences in New York and L.A. Álvarez’s only other loss was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he far less experienced.
Golovkin’s insinuation that the scales were tipped in Álvarez’s favor during their previous bouts incurred Álvarez’s hostility. Things get personal for Álvarez when his victories are contested, and he made his older nemesis wait four years for a third fight. Álvarez was particularly offended by what he felt was a contrast between Golovkin’s congenial demeanor at the press conferences and his previous dismissive tone. Álvarez used a seven-letter pejorative to refer to Golovkin. Golovkin called Álvarez a “red mouse.”
Their first clash at T-Mobile in September 2017 ended in a draw, and a year later, Álvarez won by majority decision. This time, the fight won’t go the distance, claims Álvarez. Both fighters need to win within 12 rounds to settle the rivalry, with the victor walking away holding super middleweight titles from the IBF, WBA, World Boxing Council and The Ring magazine. Golovkin will still be a unified middleweight champion regardless of the outcome, but Álvarez says he plans to make Golovkin retire.
He also scheduled victory celebrations at Resorts World, where he plans to hold court at Zouk Nightclub as Travis Scott performs. That’s likely to also be the destination for the winner of the 10-round middleweight fight topping the undercard between southpaw Austin “Ammo” Williams and Kieron Conway, which will also be streamed internationally by DAZN in partnership with Matchroom Sport, Canelo Promotions and GGG Promotions.
Also scheduled to square off are super-middleweights Diego Pacheco and Enrique Collazo, and Ali Akhmedov and Gabriel Rosado. It’s Álvarez who is the biggest draw, though. His trilogy with Golovkin could be one for the history books along with Muhammad Ali’s three fights against Joe Frazier and Sugar Ray Leonard’s series with Roberto Duran. Álvarez and Golovkin are both very aware they are fighting for their legacies as well as against each other.
T-Mobile Arena, 1:15 p.m. Sept. 17, starting at $350 plus tax and fee. axs.com
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