LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather won THE RING/WBA/WBC junior middleweight championship with a majority decision over Canelo Alvarez on Saturday at the MGM Grand. Most observers thought the reigning pound-for-pound king won the fight convincingly.
Below is the round-by-round updates on the fight that was done live, during the 12-round championship bout.
Referee: Kenny Bayless
Judges: Dave Moretti, C.J. Ross, Craig Metcalfe
Round 1: Mayweather gets off jabs and lead right hands. Alvarez feints from a distance, misses shots (Mayweather’s round)
Round 2: Alvarez works his jab, lands a hook in close. Mayweather jabs back counters with short rights. (Alvarez’s round)
Round 3: Alvarez lets his hands go, looks poised, takes his time. Mayweather lands a 1-2 combination, backs Alvarez to the ropes. Alvarez stalks, lands a hard jab. Mayweather moves and feints. (Alvarez’s round.)
Round 4: Mayweather lands right hand, falls into a clinch where Alvarez hit him below the belt. Alvarez fires right to the chest. Mayweather lands another right hand. Alvarez gets jab to the body, lands a right hand.Mayweather lands jab, so does Alvarez, Mayweahter lands quick right. Alvarez lands hook. Hot round! (Even round)
Round 5: Mayweather lands right cross at start of round. Alvarez works hisjab but Mayweather lands another right. They trade rights and jabs. Mayweather clinches Alvarez any time he can. (Mayweather’s round)
Round 6:. Alvarez starts a bit faster. They trade fast shots in close in the center of the ring. They trade hooks in close. Alvarez, who has a mark under his left eye, is warned by referee Kenny Bayless for rough stuff (sholder shove). Alvarez gets off with power, but Mayweather makes him miss most shots. (Mayweather’s round)
Round 7:. Mayweather counters with quick rights. Alvarez lands a stiff jab. Mayweather lands a clean right uppercut. Alvarez backs to the ropes, gets off them with a 1-2. Mayweather in control. (Mayweather’s round)
Round 8:. Alvarez starts round with body head combo, partially blocked by Mayweather. Alvarez stalks Mayweather to the ropes lands three-punch combinations then backs out. Mayweather gets on toes and circles the ring. Mayweather lands a right off the ropes. (Alvarez’s round)
Round 9:. Alvarez lets his hands go early, but counter punches from Mayweather back him off and make him stop punching. Mayweather lands a head spinning right. Alvarez stops punching. (Mayweather’s round)
Round 10:. Alvarez starts with his jab, which lands. Mayweather jabs back. Gets Alvarez on the ropes, hoping to lure the veteran in to counter shots but he’s not in range to do so. Alvarez lands claen right with a 1 minute to go. Not much happens after that. (Mayweather’s round)
Round 11:. Alvarez grazes Mayweather when the vet is breifly on the ropes, but Mayweather, bouncing on his toes, lands accurate right-hand potshots. Alvarez lands shots to Mayweather’s arms when he gets him back on the ropes but Mayweather doens’t stay there. Lateral movement neutralizing Alvarez’s forward march. (Mayweather’s round)
Round 12:. Mayweather draws boos from the crowd as he moves for most of the first 2 minutes of the final round. Alvarez outworks Mayweather, lands a few shots, but doesn’t hurt or threaten the pound-for-pound king. (Alvarez’s round)
RingTV.com scored the bout for Mayweather seven rounds to four with one even.
Photo by Tom Hogan, Hogan Photos, Golden Boy Promotions
Lem Satterfield can be reached at email@example.com