The match between Kovalev and Alvarez was deservedly considered one of the most anticipated in 2019. For a Russian, success in this fight could become the biggest one in his career, and a Mexican could help him to win belts in four weight categories and come closer to Manny Pacquiao's unique achievement. The Filipino is the only boxer in history to win titles in eight divisions.
During his career, Kovalev has never participated in a battle of this magnitude. Of course, his track record included battles with Andre Ward and Bernard Hopkins, but none of them could compare with this in terms of excitement. At the same time, he approached the battle with Canelo as an outsider. For his counterparts they spoke of the status of one of the strongest boxers on the planet, an excellent level of skill and age. The 29-year-old Mexican is in the prime of life, while the 36-year-old is already thinking about quitting professional sports.
It is noteworthy that Kovalev’s difficulties began even with weighing. Unlike the enemy, the Russian could not show the necessary numbers on the scales and was forced to completely expose himself for the successful completion of the procedure. However, even this did not help, as a result of which the WBO champion was given an extra hour to bring the body weight to the necessary values. As a result, 10 minutes were enough for Sergey and the fight was not canceled.
Despite the fact that it was Kovalev’s title that was at stake, the main organizer of the event was Alvarez’s side. In this regard, the contract contained a clause on rehydration, designed to increase the chances of the Mexican to succeed. Thus, athletes were required to undergo an additional weighing procedure on the day of the fight, and their weight should not exceed 83.91 kg (with a category limit of 79.4 kg). This was due to the desire to deprive the larger Sergey of advantage.
It is worth noting that the battle between Kovalev and Alvarez began with a substantial delay. The reason for this was the UFC 244 tournament in New York, which became the 500th in the history of the Absolute Fighting Championship. Boxers were forced to wait until the show ended and proceeded to the ring only after the duel between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz was completed.
The first round was dictated by Kovalev. He immediately began to act as the first number and push the opponent with jabs. True, the Russian worked for the most part with an open glove, as a result of which, these blows practically did not carry danger to Alvarez. The Mexican shut off tightly, not allowing any of the attempts to achieve the goal.
But in the second round, Canelo appeared in a completely different light. He accelerated the pace, began to respond, and very quickly found gaps in the defense of the Russian. With the naked eye, not only the difference in dimensions was noticeable, but also in the speed, which gave Alvarez a serious advantage. He was swift, beat very powerfully, but his plan was very clear. As expected, Saul emphasized attacks on the corps, whose defense is considered Kovalev’s weak point.
Closer to the middle of the fight Alvarez advantage began to grow. Kovalev could not find the keys to his defense, and the attacks of the Russian looked extremely imprudent. The Mexican himself pressed more and more and sent powerful blows at the target. Unlike Sergey, Saul invested in almost every attempt, alternated “floors” and repeatedly caught his opponent in counterattacks.
By the eighth round, Mexican supremacy became apparent. Kovalev looked bewildered, his trademark jab did not work against the protection of Alvarez, and he felt more and more confident. He did not hesitate to work at close range and shoot his opponent with heavy hooks. Sergey was increasingly forced to resort to clinches, but even in them he looked less preferable and missed a lot.
Even before the fight, Russian mentor Buddy McGirt assured that he had prepared some surprises for Alvarez along with the ward. But until the ninth round, it was not clear what exactly they consisted of. Kovalev continued to act the same way and was afraid to throw the most powerful right straight. Canelo decided to remind again of his ability to act as the second number and stood for a minute in the corner, skillfully dodging the enemy’s attacks. Sergey rushed forward, spent a lot of energy, but did not succeed.
By the last rounds, it became completely clear that Kovalev could not get the upper hand by a judicial decision. Despite the outbursts of activity, he looked less impressive, which made him rely solely on knockout. Moreover, the possibility of such a development of events was hard to believe. In the break after the 10th segment, he looked doomed and already did not hope for a triumph.
The 11th round of the match became fatal. Kovalev tried to go forward, but a serious difference in speed and freshness played a cruel joke with him. Alvarez instantly noticed fatigue in the opponent’s movements and conducted a crushing series. After a powerful left hook, Sergei was in a state of grogging, and the right straight sent him to the floor. The knockout was so heavy that the Russian for a long time could not get to his feet.
This success allowed Alvarez to successfully debut in the light heavyweight and become a champion in four weight categories. Thus, he repeated the achievements of the legendary Pernell Whittaker, Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez.