Before we get to the stoppage, Canelo should be congratulated for a very good performance. Fighting Floyd Mayweather makes very good fighters look average, but Canelo isn’t an average fighter. Time will tell if he can be one of the greats, but he is a very good boxer.
Angulo is not the greatest boxer of all-time, but he is a good enough that had a very good boxer in Erislandy Lara in a life and death struggle. For the majority of the fight Canelo toyed with him and delivered a one-sided beating. Angulo who is known a heavy puncher, couldn’t hurt Canelo.
It was the type of toe to toe fight that fight fans (casual or otherwise) enjoy. While Canelo was in control, Angulo kept coming forward and had his moments.
There was just enough intrigued that would have made the last couple of rounds interesting, but then….
That was a beautiful faint of the overhand right, before the uppercut by the way, but you probably want to know why the fight was stopped.
Angulo’s corner told the ref (Tony Weeks) and the doc that if Angulo took any more punishment they would throw in towel and to give Angulo at least one more round.
Right before the stoppage Angulo was hit with a right hand and it appeared to me Weeks wanted to stop it right then, but he waited for one more punch before pulling the plug on the fight.
Angulo was down on all three scorecards (89-82 twice and 88-83) and needed a knockout to win. With warriors like Angulo who can punch, there is a tendency to let them go out on their shield. I am one of those people who think like that. Angulo was getting beat up, but he didn’t seem hurt, but many times the fighter doesn’t seem hurt in the ring, but later on is when the damage is done.
I personally wouldn’t have stopped the fight or prefer if it was going to be stopped that the corner called for the stoppage, but Tony Weeks’ job is to protect the fighter and he felt he was protecting Angulo.
Hopefully, the controversy doesn’t overshadow that it was a great performance by Canelo, we will see how the PPV numbers do and what’s next for Canelo Alvarez.