Former two-weight world champion, Carl Frampton MBE, has given his thoughts on a boxing rivalry that will be written into the history books – Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez versus Gennady Golovkin.
The pair will face off for the third (and surely final) time in Las Vegas this weekend, picking up from where they left off in 2018. Canelo won by majority decision that night, building on the split draw of the first fight the year prior.
Frampton, like many others in the sport, doesn’t agree with the result of the 2017 draw. In a column for Sunday Life, he explained why he sees this next scrap as a “decider.”
“There have been some who feel the moment has passed for this match-up, but I still think there is plenty of value in them facing off again.
Their first meeting in 2017 ended in a hugely controversial draw with many people — me included — believing Golovkin was extremely hard done by, but the rematch was a lot closer with opinions divided and I think Canelo did enough on that occasion to edge it.
Officially it’s one draw and one win for Canelo, but I think it can really be considered one win apiece and therefore a third fight is a bit of a decider between them.”
So redemption for Golovkin? Although ‘The Jackal’ would like to see it happen, he doesn’t think it will.
“Golovkin is now 40 and doesn’t look to be the same fighter as he once was at the peak of his powers. Golovkin did stop Ryota Murata in a unification last time out, but he didn’t look great early on and was having some problems. The one person none of us can beat is Father Time and this fight just seems a few years too late for him to have a real chance of winning.
While this is Canelo’s first fight since losing to Dmitry Bivol back in May, that was a step up in weight class against a very good light-heavyweight and it just shows how fickle some people can be to start to question whether he is now on the slide.
That fight was just a step too far for him in terms of moving up the divisions and I think he is far from done. In fact, I would consider these to be his prime years and I just can’t make an argument for Golovkin here despite what happened in the first two meetings between the pair.
In my view, the people who think Canelo is out of his prime are wrong and he will prove it next week. I would like to see Golovkin win, but I feel this is going to be the most decisive victory for Canelo given where they now find themselves in their careers.”
The trilogy fight will take place this weekend in Las Vegas, and is available to UK and US fans via DAZN PPV.