{"id":66986,"date":"2017-05-07T15:57:45","date_gmt":"2017-05-07T20:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=66986"},"modified":"2017-05-07T15:58:29","modified_gmt":"2017-05-07T20:58:29","slug":"vinnys-views-canelo-catchweight-alvarez-beats-julio-cesar-chavez-jr-in-an-instant-forgettable-dud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=66986","title":{"rendered":"Vinny\u2019s Views: Canelo “Catchweight” Alvarez Beats Julio Cesar Chavez, JR In an Instant Forgettable DUD!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CA-Cartoon\"<\/a>By Vinny \u201cGlory Days\u201d Lucci<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most fight fans were disappointed in the fisticuffs of the main event at T Mobile Arena in Paradise Nevada last night. While the undercard provided some lively action the headliner tanked after the first twenty seconds with the first meaningful body punch Canelo threw and landed. If it were learned he shattered ribs that hampered Chavez, JR.\u2019s breathing at least we\u2019d have a reason why we continued viewing. Oscar, please, lie to us. After all you said this was going to be a very dangerous fight for Alvarez. Even after you held the bargaining chip in which the thirty one year old light heavyweight needed to shred muscle off his frame and weigh in at 164.5. Knowing that alone, would leave most of Julio\u2019s fight in the gym the coup de gras was knowing he\u2019d try to gain a last minute advantage of rehydrating back into a cruiserweight in less than thirty hours. The only people more insane than Chavez, JR.\u2019s corner thinking they could pull it off was the Mexican\u2019s fans who shelled out the premium pay per view price tag. <\/p>\n

In the last few weeks I handicapped the top three bouts on card with full fight analysis and up to my standards gave readers three winners but not even I predicted how one sided main event would unfold. All three official judges gave Canelo every round. I gave Chavez, JR. the seventh as he mounted a furious offense at opening bell that the viewing audience eagerly expected at the opening bell. He boxed well enough over the next two and a half minutes to steal a round that saw Canelo take a breather but it was not to be. Perhaps judges found it easier to add all the lovely \u201c10\u2019s\u201d on Alvarez\u2019s side of score sheet.<\/p>\n

Recapping round by round may read as boring as it was to behold live. So, let me run down the facts and intangibles with equal aplomb instead of rattling off lefts and rights. Canelo came out at the first bell and threw a wild lead punch that conjured up instant memories of Marvelous Marvin Hagler introducing himself professionally to Tommy Hearns with the first punch of bout. Only this time Canelo started behind a jab. First left hook to body didn\u2019t fold Chavez, JR. but it sure made his mind up instantly about how this fight would look in the trenches. Chavez spent entire round pivoting ring center to his left on extremely flat feet in hopes of disarming Canelo\u2019s murderous left hook.<\/p>\n

As early as the second round Chavez, JR. was losing real estate and his jab became shorter. He was quickly falling into bad habit of bending forward giving away his height advantage. The closer Canelo engaged the pocket the quicker he surrendered his jab also. The next few rounds had Canelo landing almost at will drawing blood from his opponent\u2019s nose.<\/p>\n

The fourth round looked too easy as the live attendance were on their feet sensing Canelo was going in for the early kill. Chavez, JR.\u2019s fight plan had been ripped from the binder, exposed, and dismantled. Worse yet was his shocking propensity to put his nose to Alvarez gloves inside the gate as if he were a Rottweiler and would scare him away. Alvarez has arguably the best uppercut in the business or at least on same parallel as Gennady Golovkin and Kell Brook. Why he didn\u2019t shoot it up the middle more from underneath remains a mystery. If he had he could have shaved half the rounds off and been more merciful to Chavez, JR.\u2019s dad who had to endure watching the carnage from his corner.<\/p>\n

Round six had Alvarez dropping so many right hand bombs one could make an argument for a 10\/8 round. There was no real turn of events until the ninth when Chavez, JR. came out strong, confident and possessed to put his man against the ropes and let loose with both hands in superior mode. Canelo seemed to go with the flow of action rather than fight it, as if he were taking a breather. His pursuer tired easily and switched to boxing mode. I instinctively gave this sole round to Chavez, JR. It would be the only form of attack he could muster longer than an occasional flurry that never showcased a sequel.<\/p>\n

The fact that Canelo stood in his corner between every round was more fascinating than the bout itself. He later explained to HBO commentator Max Kellerman that he never sits between rounds in daily sparring and saw no need to do it in the fight. He called it an experiment. I wish I was a fly in Chavez, JR.\u2019s corner to overhear what his overpriced corner men were saying about this tactic. If this wasn\u2019t adding insult to injury nothing could. The mind beating must have been equal to the one Alvarez was administering inside the ring. Still with me? There simply is no other way to put it. Canelo had Julio wondering if he should shit or wind his wrist watch. Apparently boxing or fighting weren\u2019t on his mind.<\/p>\n

As the last three rounds eclipsed into martyrdom it was clearly apparent that there would be no last minute rally let alone a plan \u201cB.\u201d Silent was Chavez, JR.\u2019s corner of famed lead trainer Ignacio \u201cNacho\u201d Beristain and conditioning coach Angel \u201cMemo\u201d Heredia. All during duration of bout the fighter\u2019s father, hall of fame legend Julio, SR. was imploring his son to throw more punches and let his hands go.<\/p>\n

While the score cards were being collected fans sat wondering what would be said in ring post-fight rather than the tallies themselves. My mind drifted in reverse month calendar sequence wondering when I last covered a PPV main event in which the underdog was denied so decisively. I drew a blank.<\/p>\n

Post-fight Julio claimed that Canelo won a fight of distance. While the thirty one year old boxer seemed game his body didn\u2019t and leaves one to wonder if there is any fight left after logging a 53-1-1 record. His 32 knockouts not withstanding it\u2019s hard to imagine him competing again at light heavyweight.<\/p>\n

Canelo in victory shouted out to Multi belted people\u2019s champion Gennady Golovkin and said \u201cyou are next my friend\u201d. \u201cGGG\u201d was ushered into the ring where it was formerly announced publicly for first time that they would meet in long anticipated match on September 16th. Golovkin will be defending his WBA, WBC, & IBF titles. The lone alphabet belt missing from \u201cGGG\u2019s\u201d wardrobe closet belongs to Billy Joe Saunders and has the initials WBO emblazed on its center. Saunders is meeting his mandatory Avtandil Khurtsidze on July 8th in London England at Copper Box Arena. Canelo has upped his impressive resume to 48-1-1, 34 KO\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Not to be a total bummer Lucas Matthysse successfully entered the talented welterweight landscape with a dominant and through beat down of Emmanuel Taylor in five fast paced rounds upping his record to 38-4-1, 35 KO\u2019s. After a nineteen month layoff Lucas picked a solid boxer who could give him the work and test him without truly putting him in harm\u2019s way. Taylor has been known to be able to box or brawl but has come up short several times before and now has been edged out of title picture in the foreseeable future as his record fell to 20-5, 14 KO\u2019s. Taylor was dropped half way through the third round and once again in the fifth. He beat the count at nine, but ref called a halt to contest. Lucas flashed moments of brilliance from his past sliding into pocket and cracking his foe with two fisted vengeance in pursuit of not allowing the opportunity to pass him by.<\/p>\n

From here if carefully matched he can continue to flourish in quest of securing a title match at one of the 147 pound champions. If I were his manager I\u2019d steer clear of some of the big dogs like Kell Brook and Shawn Porter and look to angle a match with the likes of smaller name brand welters like Manny Pacquiao or Danny Garcia. If he builds on his frame with the added weight his style makes for a good fight against Keith Thurman. Keith doesn\u2019t seem to possess the \u201cone time\u201d knockout power of recent memory now that his competition as title holder has improved.<\/p>\n

The co main event saw a dogged display of power and grit as top middleweight contender David Lemieux administered a convincing 10 round beating to game but overmatched Marcos Reyes. Marcos held a height and reach advantage and kid showed off excellent whiskers and heart but his power and boxing ability were not enough to stop the onslaught of power shots reigning over him all night. He managed to win the fifth round by in large getting credit for keeping David off him and out of the pocket. In all other rounds he was forced to eat leather and bloodied over right eye in second round from left hook. His corner never really got a hold of stemming the blood flow. The rangy boxer was denied ever really connecting with his best power shots and was frustrated with the inability to do so. Lemieux almost forced a stoppage in round three when he went in for broke but his prey remained upright. It could be argued that this was a 10\/8 round. David upped his record to a respectable 38-3, 33 KO\u2019s. Reyes dipped to 35-5, 26 KO\u2019s.<\/p>\n

The bout was an entertaining one sided scrap and gave the victor a good workout and tune up after coming off a sensational win this March over highly regarded Curtis Stevens by brutal third round knockout. The win last night puts him in good standing for a December or March shot at the winner of Alvarez verses Golovkin.<\/p>\n

In my soul I feel this bout reached its expiration date in 2016. After the crap fight we just witnessed with Chavez, JR. the fans and media will embrace it whole heartedly nonetheless. It\u2019s good for boxing even if Gennady has already turned thirty five years old.<\/p>\n

The Vinny Factor: <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

If I were Abel Sanchez Golovkin\u2019s manager and trainer I would dust off his blue prints he used a couple of years ago when Gennady turned back the formidable challenge of Lemieux with an impressive 8th round TKO displaying a ramrod jab and straight right hands ushered by constant movement in ring center when constructing the battle plan for Canelo. The key to victory when equally matched in firepower and ability to absorb punishment must come in speed, daft angles and footwork.<\/p>\n

In the opening bout touted featherweight Joseph Diaz turned in a solid performance against Manuel Avila with a ten round unanimous decision upping his record to 24-0, 13 KO\u2019s. Diaz is looking to capitalize on his NABF title and position himself for a real alphabet strap where he can step to the next level. Avila\u2019s record now stands at 22-1, 8 KO\u2019s after suffering his first defeat.<\/p>\n

While I don\u2019t mix politics or religion, I won\u2019t cover other sports here on this hallowed site but can\u2019t help the temptation for a shout to Aaron Judge who has become the new \u201cface\u201d of the Yankees and helping their transition back into first place with a league leading 13 home runs. Excellence can\u2019t be denied.<\/em><\/p>\n

Still so much boxing ahead in upcoming weeks it\u2019s a great time for both media and fans.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned\u2026.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n