On Sept. 14, 2013, a very young, very green Canelo Alvarez went toe-to-toe vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Canelo may have forgotten his notebook at home, but class was still in session: in the super welterweight bout, the undefeated veteran Mayweather taught Alvarez a lesson in fighting a damn near perfect fight.
The technically sound Mayweather did everything a fighter could do well in a bout. He kept his opponent off-balance, he was perfect defensively and he timed his jab and counter punches perfectly.
Some of that was on Canelo, as he didn’t have the crisp stuff that we see now. He didn’t box much then, he didn’t seem to have a solid strategy and he was out-landed by Mayweather by a wide margin.
According to Compubox, it was utter domination: Mayweather landed 46 percent of his total punches, as opposed to Alvarez, who landed just 22 percent. Mayweather jabs landed 42 percent of the time while Alvarez scored just 15 percent of jabs thrown.
The numbers resulted in a (nonsensical) majority decision in favor of “Money” Mayweather for the first and only loss on Canelo’s record.
Judge CJ Ross — in one of the most embarrassing displays of judging that boxing has ever seen — scored the fight a draw (114-114), while judge Craig Metcalfe scored the bout 117-111 and judge Dave Moretti notched a 116-112 score, both in favor of Mayweather.
Before Canelo vs. Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin, which Alvarez himself told Sporting News will be “much bigger” than his fight with Mayweather, we take a look back and score the Mayweather vs. Canelo fight (with full video below).
Canelo vs. Mayweather results
Round 1 to Mayweather (10-9, 1-0 Mayweather):
Surprisingly, Mayweather came out on the offensive and pushed forward, something that fight fans were unaccustomed to seeing. Mayweather likely knew that Alvarez’s early plan was to really attack the body, and took away his strategy. That can be taking in junction of the veteran Mayweather wanting to rattle and intimidate the younger Alvarez.
Canelo also came into this fight really looking as the significantly larger fighter, as he looked to have 10-15 pounds on Mayweather.
It was the standard feeling-out round with Mayweather unable to find the distance on his punches, while Alvarez seemed pretty sharp defensively.
Still, round goes to Mayweather for landing a few more shots and taking control of the round midway through.
Round 2 to Mayweather (10-9, 2-0 Mayweather):
Mayweather was a little bit less active with his feet in this round, as he was still trying to find the distance on his offense.
Alvarez tried to force the issue, closing the distance on Mayweather, but doesn’t throw a lot of punches. It looked like Alvarez was trying to bait Mayweather into throwing more (not a solid strategy, to be honest).
Mayweather seems reluctant to throw, and his defense is still sharp. He’s prototypical Mayweather fast tonight.
Round 3 to Mayweather (10-9, 3-0 Mayweather):
Mayweather starts to pepper Canelo with the jab in a bit more, connecting on 20 percent higher rate than Canelo is to this point in the fight.
Alvarez seemed very interested in boxing Mayweather, which (again) doesn’t seem like the best strategy, considering he’s fighting arguably the best boxer of this generation.
Mayweather is just too fast in-and-out for Alvarez to land any kind of significant counter punch, and he’s too quick to retreat into his defense to allow any kind of counter punch to land flushly.
A very close round, but it goes to Mayweather. Alvarez just isn’t busy enough yet in the fight.
Round 4 to Mayweather (10-9, 4-0 Mayweather):
Things start to get chippy in this round, with Alvarez hitting Mayweather on the thigh coming out of a break. Mayweather goes to touch gloves with Alvarez coming out of the corner, but Canelo wants none of it. The disrespect! (Or lack of intimidation.)
Replays showed that during that hold, Mayweather pressed his glove into Canelo’s face, which Alvarez didn’t seem too pleased with.
Alvarez’s punches just aren’t crisp: they’re very loopy and wide, and missing wildly. Seems unwise.
Alvarez showed fight in this round, but it wasn’t enough, not yet. Mayweather still shells up defensively and too quick with the jab to give Alvarez any good windows.
Round 5 to Mayweather (10-9, 5-0 Mayweather):
This was the round that Mayweather started to really showcase his ability.
His defense is too good. He rolled out of Alvarez’s punches consistently, and in the same motion, throws punches of his own, and with some juice on them.
Canelo showed some more signs in this round but it’s still hard to see how he’s going to figure out Mayweather.
Watching Canelo, it seems that he was a bit scared throw some really heavy punches. The left hook isn’t there, partially because it’s not accurate, but mostly because Mayweather sees it coming and bobs and weaves out of the way.
Round 6 to Alvarez (10-9, 5-1 Mayweather):
Alvarez isn’t intimidated by Mayweather, hitting him with a shoulder coming out of a break (Alvarez wasn’t pleased with Mayweather throwing some kidney shots in that same hold).
Canelo settling in a little more, letting his hands go a bit more, too. Alvarez trying to land some lefts but Mayweather sees it all coming and ducks and rolls out of the way consistently, still.
Alvarez’s work in this round won it for him, but it was still Mayweather’s fight to lose.
Round 7 to Mayweather (10-9, 6-1 Mayweather):
With under a minute left, Mayweather held Alvarez on the ropes and landed a few 1-2 combinations up top. Canelo came fighting back, but it wasn’t enough to counteract the Mayweather flurry from earlier.
In that exchange, it looked like he was trying to bait Mayweather into a big counter punch. He threw one with steam coming off the ropes, but it just missed the mark.
Truthfully, Mayweather looked unchallenged. It’s a complete domination.
Round 8 to Mayweather (10-9, 7-1 Mayweather):
Alvarez is trying to force Mayweather to the ropes and it’s just not happening. Just when Mayweather is a step or two away, Mayweather counters and pivots, staying in the middle of the ring and away from the ropes.
At one point in the round, with Mayweather backed against the ropes, he rolled out of an Alvarez combination and transitioned immediately into a straight right hand.
Alvarez was just too green — and hadn’t really fought many of note to this point — to take on the perfect technician that is Mayweather.
Round 9 to Alvarez (10-9, 7-2 Mayweather):
Alvarez worked hard in ths round and landed some good shots. Mayweather is a bit less active, probably knowing he has the fight in the bag by rounds.
Mayweather did land a huge right, but Alvarez shook it off and finished the round.
Good work from Alvarez, but he’ll need a knockout to win the fight.
Round 10 to Alvarez (10-9, 7-3 Mayweather):
Alvarez walked forward with his hands down. He looked very tired. Maybe he was trying to bait Mayweather into a counter punch, or maybe his inexperience in the ring with elite fighters held him back.
Mayweather circled around from the ropes extremely well, and kept pot-shotting Alvarez with the jab, scoring points and snapping Alvarez’s head back in the process.
Round goes to Alvarez, but it’s really close.
Round 11 to Mayweather (10-9, 8-3 Mayweather):
Good for Alvarez to keep trying to walk down Mayweather, understanding he needs a knockout to win, even though that seemed unlikely.
Alvarez’s jab just hasn’t been there. On the contrary, Mayweather’s has been there all fight long.
Canelo didn’t try and work the body enough throughout the fight. Granted, not a really easy thing to do against a fighter as fast as Mayweather, but his lack of commitment to it is pretty astounding.
Round 12 to Alvarez (10-9, 8-4 Mayweather):
Alvarez was busier this round, and he won it, but it really wasn’t that close of a fight as the rounds and scorecards indicate.
Score
Looking at the fight again, it was an easy 116-112 win for Mayweather.
Mayweather played it a little bit safer in the later rounds, knowing he had the fight won and that Alvarez wasn’t much of a match. Still, it was a stepping stone fight for Alvarez, who has never stepped into the ring with a fighter the caliber of Mayweather.
