'Canelo' Alvarez takes on Gennady Golovkin in what's expected to be one of the fights of the year. Here's all you need to know including where and when to watch on TV and the big fight odds.
Now this is a proper boxing fight.
Two of the world's pound-for-pound stars will collide on Saturday, September 16 at the same venue in Las Vegas where the legendary Floyd Mayweather schooled UFC's boxing debutant Conor McGregor last month and although the hype might not be quite on the same dizzying scale - it's the one all purists have been truly awaiting since May.
On a night billed as 'Supremacy', the unbeaten Kazakhstan hero Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs) defends his IBF, WBA and WBC world titles while Mexico's Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) puts The Ring middleweight title on the line.
GGG has a 92% knockout rate - the best ratio of any middleweight in boxing history - as he prepares for a 19th consecutive title defence while Canelo also has a fearsome reputation for punching power, as Amir Khan brutally found out last year.
In their combined 88 fights, 67 have ended before the final bell, so don't expect this one to go the distance!
Here below we have all the big-fight odds, details on when, where and how to watch it, the cost, each fighter's records and background, video clips, quotes, predictions from the world of boxing and details of the undercard...
Predictions! Who do the stars and legends of boxing think will win?
CARL FROCH (via Sky Sports): "I reckon GGG vs Canelo is going to be a great, close fight, and I have a feeling that 'Canelo' is going to win on points, because Golovkin gets hit too much. I think both of them can get hurt, but 'Canelo' will nick it on points. If it goes like that, then potentially we could see a rematch.
ANTONY JOSHUA (via Daily Mail): "I hope Canelo wins, not that I don’t like Triple G. I have just been riding with Canelo for a long time. He’s 27 and the man has achieved so much and he’ll be one of the fathers. He’s still a baby but he’ll be one of the fathers in the sport, give him another 10 years. He’ll be around for a long time and I think he’ll do great things for the sport. So I have been riding with Canelo for a long time but it’s going to be a tough fight because Triple G is from Kazakhstan, he has the good foundations of a boxer. But so has Canelo, so I’ll put my money on him."
AMIR KHAN (via BoxNation): "This is going to be a very special fight,” said Khan. "It's one which I'm really looking forward to watching because fans have been asking to see this for a long time. These are the two best middleweights in the world taking on each other. It’s the way that boxing should be – the best fighting the best. Going on their past few performances I think that Canelo is only getting better and will get the win. Golovkin is an excellent fighter but his last performance against Danny Jacobs would have given Canelo a lot of encouragement. Golovkin had trouble dealing with Jacobs and Canelo has even more skills. I’ve been in the ring with him and he’s quick, has good movement and is a big puncher. I know a lot of people think Golovkin is the puncher going into this fight but Canelo’s power should not be underestimated. As hard as they both hit I think Canelo will take the fight on points. He is an excellent counter-puncher and likes fighters coming to him, something which Golovkin does. Golovkin tends to walk down fighters he is physically stronger than but he won’t have it all his own way against Canelo because he is just as imposing and won’t be bullied."
FLOYD MAYWEATHER (via Daily Telegraph): "Do I think Triple G can beat Canelo? Absolutely not. I think there's a few guys that can beat Triple G, and Canelo is on the top of the list. I believe that he’ll beat him. I really believe Triple G has good punching power as a fighter. He’s got good punching power, but he’s flat-footed. He makes a lot of mistakes, but boxing is different now. I don’t think it’ll go the distance. Canelo Alvarez is one of the best fighters in boxing right now. I commend him. I take my hat off to him."
BERNARD HOPKINS (via Metro): "Jacobs fought such a patient, technical and poised fight [against GGG], even after the knockdown, he set up a blueprint for the next man, Canelo, to come along and study that after he takes care of his business on Cinco de Mayo, May 6th and come along and realise that Triple G isn't getting better. He is getting comfortable. You get comfortable mentally first and then you get comfortable physically and then you fall off. Most long reigning champions do."
SUGAR RAY LEONARD (via Daily Telegraph): "I give the edge to GGG because of who he is and what he has. But I love Canelo, too. That's going to be a great fight. It's one of those where you just got to flip a coin."
TOMMY HEARNS (via Metro): "It is a fight that people will talk about for a long time, people have been waiting a long time for something and I too, I cannot wait any longer. People come to see a show, so if you give them a good show, they will remember it for a long time, and people want to see them fight. GGG is a strong fighter, can fight with anyone, but does not get away from blows and if Canelo does what he has to do, boxing, staying out of danger, and if he does that when he let’s go of his punches, he has a good chance of winning."
Meanwhile , our boxing expert Simon Crawford has had his say. Click here to read his betting preview in full and find out the 7/2 and 16/1 tips he's got for the fight of the year!
Who is the bookies' favourite and what other odds are available?
PRICE BOOST: Click here to get 6/1 (from 4/1) on GGG to win by TKO/KO in rounds 1-6!
Many will describe this fight as a 50:50 but Sky Bet rate Gennady Golovkin as the 4/6 favourite for victory while Canelo Alvarez is the marginal outsider at 11/8.
Sky Bet have plenty of markets and RequestABet specials to get involved with so here are a quick selection for fans of both rivals to check out... (odds correct at 13/09/2017)
Method of Victory
Selections of specials
- Canelo to be knocked down and win - 10/1
- GGG to be knocked down and win - 12/1
- Both fighters to be knocked down - 12/1
- Both fighters to get knocked down and Canelo win on points - 80/1
- GGG to win with a body shot (must be final shot landed) - 4/1
Fight to go the distance
Click here for more Sky Bet odds including round betting and more RequestABet specials!
When is Canelo v Golovkin and what time will the fight take place?
If you're watching in the UK, then BoxNation's live coverage of the whole show from the sold-out T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will begin at 0200 BST in the early hours of Sunday morning (September 17).
GGG and Canelo can be expected in the ring around 0400 BST although this could be earlier or later depending on how long the undercard bouts, which involve Britain's Nicola Adams, take.
Oh, and you can also expect Canelo to be extra motivated on this date. It happens to be Mexican Independence Day weekend!
What TV channel is Canelo v GGG on and how much does it cost?
This huge night of boxing is a Pay-Per-View event on BoxNation Box Office (Channel 490 on Sky) and will cost you £16.95 ( €21.95 in the Republic of Ireland) unless you are an existing paying subscriber - in which case it's included in your subscription. This doesn't include those who get the channel free with BT Sport on Sky TV.
Sky customers can purchase the event via their remotes from Saturday September 9 while Virgin customers can do the same from Monday September 11. For more booking information and details of how to subscribe to Box Nation via all platforms, just visit www.boxnation.com/canelo-ggg.
What are their fight records?
The unbeaten Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs) has widely been regarded as the middleweight king for quite some time and if he takes Canelo Alvarez's Ring title in Las Vegas then the only major belt he won't have is Billy Joe Saunders' WBO strap.
Nobody has held all four major middleweight titles since Bernard Hopkins between 2004 and 2005 so that will be his next target should he win this clash. That won't be the case for Canelo, who has opted not to fight for Golovkin's WBC belt.
GGG has only been taken the distance four times in his thrilling career but one of these was his last outing in March when he claimed a unanimous decision over Daniel Jacobs at Madison Square Garden, halting a run of 23 successive stoppage wins dating back to 2008.
The 35-year-old's other notable victims include David Lemieux, Martin Murray, Matthew Macklin and, of course, Kell Brook.
Canelo (49-1-1, 34 KOs) has held his Ring title since 2015 and has also enjoyed a stint as WBC champion while he's previously had two reigns as a super welterweight belt-holder during a career which has seen him defeated just once while his only draw came pay back in 2006.
Only Floyd Mayweather has got the better of the 27-year-old Mexican, who came out the wrong side of a mixed decision verdict at the MGM Grand in 2013, but since then he's won seven times in a row including triumphs over Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosely, Amir Khan (via a brutal knockout!), Liam Smith and, most recently in May, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
What do the fighters have to say?
Canelo Alvarez
"I know what I have in front of me. I know he's a strong fighter. He is the most dangerous opponent of my career, but I'm ready for him and what's next to come. That's why we prepared, and also to give the fans a beautiful fight. This fight's for you; this fight's for all the fans who have been asking for it. We know that in fights, it takes two to tango. I'm ready, and you know what you'll get from me. Let's just hope he brings it as well.
"I'm excited and happy that the fight is almost here. I've been focused like always with my training in this camp. I'm going to do and use whatever I need to be one step ahead of Gennady in the ring. Without a doubt, our fight on Saturday will be one of the great fights in the history of boxing. Golovkin will bring out the best in me.
Gennady Golovkin
"I want to win this fight because for me this win will be like a history fight, like Leonard vs. Hagler. I believe the middleweight division will come back. And Canelo, he's a very special guy. Right now for us it's huge. Especially for me, it's huge. The story of the middleweight division, it's a long story. I remember a lot of great champions, like Carlos Monzon, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Bernard Hopkins.
"Right now I think new stories, new times for us. So many stories are huge in the middleweight division. To be a champion is huge."
Who is on the undercard?
Joseph Diaz Jr (24-0, 13 KOs) was meant to fight Jorge Lara (29-0-2, 21 KOs) in a WBC featherweight title eliminator but the latter has pulled out and will now be replaced by Rafael Rivera. Meanwhile, Britain's double Olympic champion Nicola Adams will be making her Stateside debut.
- Joseph Diaz v Rafael Rivera (Featherweight)
- Randy Caballero v Diego De La Hoya (Super Bantamweight)
- Ryan Martin v Francisco Rojo (Lightweight)
- Vergil Ortiz v Cesar Valenzuela (Super Lightweight)
- Marlen Esparza v Tania Cosme (Flyweight)
- Nicola Adams v Alexandra Vlajk (Super Flyweight)
