Alvarez-Golovkin, in any language, had skill, excitement – and an affront to boxing

I watched the Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez fight on my laptop and inadvertently chose the Spanish broadcast. I know only five Spanish words – uno, dos, tres, hola and Univision. Those five words were sufficient. I didn’t need anybody to tell me the fight was excellent or the outcome close.

I thought Golovkin won. But I can’t complain about the judge who scored the fight a draw. One scored it 115-113 for Golovkin. The other scored it 118-110 for Alvarez.

The 118-110 scorecard is an affront to boxing. Alvarez’s mom was in the crowd, and she probably scored the fight closer than that.

Judge aside, how often does a sporting event meet expectations? This one, which was scored a draw, did. The fight won’t save boxing.

But for those of us who care about the sport, Golovkin-Alvarez felt like a reward. On this night Alvarez was the boxer with the big punch. Golovkin was the slugger whose punch was bigger. Neither fighter has been hit like they hit each other, at least not as professionals.

The fight’s replay will be devoid of the tension that boxing confers. But if you wonder why many of us are such ardent fans, Golovkin-Alvarez will explain why.

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This story was originally published September 20, 2017 at 9:46 AM.