Junior Middleweight

Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s next bout has been announced. 

Later this year, he will collide with looming superstar Saul Alvarez. And with that, talks of Mayweather’s “legacy” and “greatness” shakes the Internet like a violent earthquake. 

These days, greatness is not created within a vacuum—it is rather a reflection of its surrounding society and culture. No matter how well-deserved it is—or isn’t. 

So is Mayweather an all-time great? If so, how great? 

Mayweather is many things, including the pound-for-pound kingpin, a five-division world champion, and a defensive genius. 

But, historically, where does it all stand? 

“Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” - Marcus Aurelius 

Weight Climbing 

As mentioned, Floyd Mayweather is a five-division world champion. That sounds formidable, but we’re living in an era of 17 different weight divisions (some separated by a meager three pounds). 

How would Mayweather’s “championships” look during the time of the original eight weight classes? His five titles at 130, 135, 140, 147 and 154 pounds would be trimmed down to just two (135, 147). 

Compare this to Sugar Ray Robinson who, at one point or another, was the best lightweight (135), welterweight (147) and middleweight (160) in the world. Or Henry Armstrong, who held three universally recognized titles (126, 135, 147)—at the same time. 

But Mayweather has still earned supremacy from super featherweight all the way up to super welterweight. That’s incredible stretch of 24 pounds and at a level of difficulty that cannot be denied.   

All the while looking just as brilliant as anyone on film. 

Caught on Camera 

You’ve witnessed this for yourself—Mayweather’s defensive prowess is cunning, wondrous, a beautiful art in motion. He’s slick, he’s elusive—you couldn’t hit him in the kisser with a handful of rice. 

And while Mayweather tends to back up in straight lines and his combinations are seldom seen, he still possesses one of the most complete skill sets since Ray Leonard. 

But then there’s Roy Jones Jr., a man of otherworldly talent, the likes of whom can only be found in fairy tales and folk stories. Jones is the greatest talent ever captured on film, and no one compares. 

So, once again, Mayweather is impressive but not as impressive as some of his predecessors. It’s like a punch line of a cruel joke—the boxing gods are conspiring against him. 

Good—but not good enough, they seem to say. 

Unfortunately, it only gets worse. 

Had quality of opposition and depth of defeated opponents meant nothing to defining a boxer’s legacy—and they were only subjected to the “eye-test”—Mayweather just might rank amongst the top 10 or 20 greatest boxers of all time. 

But such is not the case. 

And this is the root of the thoughtless overvalue of Mayweather’s legacy.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

No Blueprint: 44-0 

We have all heard it before, and Mayweather and his fans never let us forget it—he’s undefeated. 

But there’s so much more to greatness than just a perfect record. When it’s all boiled down, what matters most is who you beat. Not just how you and your PPV numbers looked—but who you actually got the better of inside the ring. 

So, who of merit has Mayweather bettered, and how does his résumé stack up against the great boxers of yesteryear? 

For the most part, this era has belonged to Floyd Mayweather; the list of quality victories he has picked up from 130 pounds to 154 pounds is unmatched. 

He cleaned out the super featherweight division, defeating the likes of Angel Manfredy, Jesus Chavez, Genaro Hernandez and Diego Corrales. 

And from 135 pounds and up, Mayweather beat Jose Luis Castillo (two times), DeMarcus Corley, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Carlos Baldomir, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and Robert Guerrero. 

It is a solid list.

But it does not stand up against the résumés of boxing’s greatest such as Harry Greb, the man they called “The Pittsburgh Windmill,” a warrior of mythical proportions. He defeated so many great fighters the list seems like science fiction, and that is something you can’t ignore.

Weighing only about 158 to 168 pounds—Greb hacked apart three separate divisions almost simultaneously for over a decade. 

(Now, proceed to take a good, deep breath.) 

Over the course of Greb’s unparalleled career he defeated Hall of Famers Mickey Walker, Gene Tunney, Tommy Gibbons (two times), Mike Gibbons, Kid Norfolk, Tommy Loughran (four times), Maxie Rosenbloom, Jack Dillon (two times), Battling Levinsky (six times), Jimmy Slattery, Billy Miske (two times), Leo Houck (three times), light heavyweight and middleweight champions Mike McTigue (two times), George Chip (two times), Al McCoy (two times), Johnny Wilson (three times), and premiere heavyweights Bill Brennan (four times), Jack Renault, Charley Weinart, Gunboat Smith (two times), Homer Smith, Martin Burke, Willie Meehan (two times) and Bob Roper (six times). 

A real mouthful, isn’t it? Again, her name is Perspective—and she can be a real nasty old hag at times.

But as you surely noticed, boxer's just don't fight this often. So why hold it against Mayweather?

I'm not holding it against him, what I am doing is giving Greb and others the respect they deserve for their busy fight schedules. Just because Mayweather doesn't fight as often as boxers of the past, that doesn't make what they accomplished any less worthy.  

So what does all of this mean for Mayweather? 

Simple. He’s nowhere close to being the greatest boxer of all time, which shouldn’t even be in question. But today’s Internet is chock full of so-called journalists, and you’d be surprised by what sorts of ideas they flirt with.

Conclusion: How Great is Floyd Mayweather? 

Floyd Mayweather has solidified himself as the greatest fighter of the last 10 years.  

But where does he rank all time? If you want an exact number, I can’t give that to you. But I can provide a rough estimate. 

We don’t know exactly where Mayweather ranks—but we do know who he can’t be ranked above. 

He can’t be ranked above the absolute world-beaters like Sam Langford, Harry Greb, Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson, Bob Fitzsimmons, Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, Benny Leonard, Joe Gans, Muhammad Ali and Willie Pep. 

Not above the weight climbers like Mickey Walker, Roberto Duran, Barney Ross, Billy Conn and Jimmy McLarnin, either. 

Certainly can’t be ranked above the tacticians Kid Gavilan, Charley Burley, Pernell Whitaker, Ray Leonard, Gene Tunney, Eder Jofre, George Dixon, Tommy Gibbons, Michael Spinks, Alexis Arguello, Emile Griffith and Tommy Loughran. 

Not above the knockout machines Terry McGovern, Archie Moore, Jimmy Wilde, Sandy Saddler and not above the giant killers Barbados Joe Walcott and Stanley Ketchel. 

Mayweather is about here. Along with the likes of Marvin Hagler, Jack Britton, Ike Williams, Carlos Monzon—just to name a few. Maybe lower, but not any higher. 

So is Mayweather an all-time great or byproduct of his generation?

A little bit of both—but definitely not neither. 

Floyd "Money" Mayweather has never been easy to hit, but as long as his father remains in his corner, he'll be even tougher to get a bead on. Canelo Alvarez's primary challenge when he faces Money on Sept. 14 will be finding a way to connect consistently.

Money smartly brought his dad back into his corner to bring the focus back to defense. Boxing is the art of hitting and not getting hit. When Mayweather is at his best, he exemplifies that concept as much as anyone.

At 36 years old, he knows that he must preserve himself if he is going to end his career with an unblemished record. The more punishment he takes, the less likely he is to go out on top.

Because Mayweather wants to complete his Showtime/CBS deal and then call it a career, he's put himself in the best position to accomplish that goal.

This is bad news for Alvarez.

It means Floyd will not stand and trade in an attempt to win over fans as he did against Miguel Cotto. The Money that Alvarez will face will be slick, elusive and looking to make him work late into the fight. Alvarez has showed the tendency to lose steam in the latter rounds of his previous fights.

Trying to keep pace with Mayweather—and taking a good number of straight right hands in the process—could be draining for Alvarez. Mayweather's camp is well aware of this dynamic.

When David Mayo of MLive.com asked Mayweather Sr. about Alvarez's tendency to tire late, the trainer said:

"That's gonna be looked at, trust me. Down the stretch, everything will be what it is."

I'll take that as Poppa Mayweather-speak for we're going to run him ragged and try to stop him late. 

Canelo must be poised, but aggressive early if he's going to have a chance at finding openings in Money's defense. If he lays back too much, Money will just build up a huge early lead and pick him apart down the stretch.

If Alvarez loses composure, Mayweather will remind him he can still sting with his power shots. This is going to be a monumentally difficult task for Alvarez, but he must understand Mayweather's game plan.

He's not going to be able to make Money fight his fight. Instead, he must find a way to disturb Mayweather's rhythm and timing.

That is far easier said than done, especially with Mayweather back in the mindset that defense leads to wins and championships. If he beats Money, he'll be defeating him at his best.

Follow me, because I love boxing and you do too.

The ability to win world titles in multiple weight classes has become an important barometer for measuring a fighter’s greatness. While there is something just as admirable in a boxer like Marvin Hagler who comprehensively dominates a single division, it is rare for elite fighters to confine themselves to one weight class. 

Some fighters can add or shed weight depending on the magnitude of available opportunities, but the reality of developing bodies and aging usually means that fighters—who almost always begin boxing as teenagers—naturally grow into heavier divisions. 

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the kind of special athletic specimen who has seamlessly adapted to adding weight. Since turning professional at 19-years-old in 1996, Mayweather (44-0, 26 KO), according to Boxrec’s encyclopedia, has captured multiple world titles at weights ranging from 130 to 154 pounds. With a 21-0 record in title fights (and 19-0 against current or former champions), Mayweather has fought with consistent excellence in five divisions. 

But some feel that Mayweather is now heading into more dangerous territory. Despite currently being a champion at junior middleweight (and welterweight), his upcoming bout against unified WBC/WBA 154-pound champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is viewed as one of Mayweather’s most intriguing and potentially dangerous fights in years. And much of this has to do with the size advantage Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO) possesses. 

So, how worried should Mayweather be about Alvarez’s edge in bulk and brawn? 

Simply put, Alvarez’s size advantage is merely something Mayweather will be aware of as a factual element of the challenge Alvarez presents. The reality is that no boxer hovering around Mayweather’s weight can bring a single attribute to the table that’s going to cause “Money” to lose a second of sleep. And this has everything to do with Mayweather’s skills and boxing acumen, as opposed to being a knock on his opponents. 

Alvarez, undoubtedly, possesses an impressive combination of marketability, offensive prowess and a consistently improving skill set, all of which will help make Mayweather-Alvarez easily the year’s most significant fight. But the reality is that Mayweather will be the heavy favorite, and deservedly so. 

Having scored 30 stoppages in 43 contests, Alvarez’s 69.77 knockout percentage is impressive. That said, while Alvarez is a strong puncher, he is not a concussive one in the mold of an Adonis Stevenson, for instance. Given the depth of Floyd’s experience, Alvarez will not surprise him with a unique or particularly awesome type of power. And as opposed to passively worrying about Alvarez’s positive attributes, Mayweather will actively develop a plan to counter them. 

The first wrinkle of Mayweather’s plan, perhaps, was the intelligent decision to negotiate a 152-pound catch weight, per ESPN, for his fight against Alvarez. That this is only two pounds south of the junior middleweight limit might not appear significant, but cutting that extra weight will be an obvious nuisance for Alvarez, especially at the end of an arduous training camp. 

But there’s also the matter of brute physical strength, as opposed to just punching power, to consider. Assuming Alvarez makes 152 pounds, he will still rehydrate significantly and hold a 15 (or so) pound weight advantage over Mayweather come fight night. 

One must thus consider whether this discrepancy will enable Alvarez to lean on Mayweather and bully him. 

Everything about Mayweather’s career up to this point, however, supports the argument that he’ll be able to completely negate this possibility. In Mayweather’s recent victory over Robert Guerrero, his footwork and subtle movement was what led to such a comprehensive victory.

The way Mayweather would land lead right hands and then proceed to duck, lunge and then completely turn Guerrero to readjust the ring’s geography was almost comically impressive. 

Mayweather can employ these kinds of tactics against Alvarez and expect similar, albeit less one-sided, results. Against Guerrero, Mayweather combined counter-punching with bursts of offense, and his ability to make adjustments and offer the kind of variety Alvarez has never seen is far more crucial to the outcome of this fight than any perceived advantage Alvarez has. 

Whether it’s power, size or youth, Alvarez does not possess enough of any one thing to “worry” Mayweather, whose signs of decline against Miguel Cotto were clearly exaggerated by fans and pundits. Rather, if Mayweather loses, it will be due to a complete and virtuoso performance from Alvarez. And frankly, power and strength would only be a small component of such an outcome. 

Mayweather is perhaps boxing’s most intelligent fighter, and he will prepare optimally for Alvarez. If one wants to talk about worrying, then it is the reality of Mayweather’s dedication to training and his craft that should have Alvarez concerned.

The polarizing nature of Floyd Mayweather’s personality guarantees that he will always have detractors. While Mayweather does have a legion of fans and an entourage that dwarfs the size of most hamlets, others are drawn to him through vehemence.

Hating Mayweather is often grounded in irrationality, but not always. 

For many, the fact that Mayweather (44-0, 26 KO) didn’t fight Manny Pacquiao at the height of their respective careers is unforgivable. Both men are certainly at fault for failed negotiations, even with the fight now verging on complete irrelevancy after Juan Manuel Marquez knocked Pacquiao out cold. 

On a more symbolic level, the inability to make Mayweather-Pacquiao points to a larger issue with the middle and later parts of Mayweather's career: There’s an argument that he hasn’t always faced the best possible opponents at the most opportune moments. 

This claim is somewhat tenuous.

Of course, the unmade Pacquiao fight is one of the greatest missed opportunities in the sport’s history, and this is a cloud that will—and should—always be attached to Mayweather and Pacquiao’s respective legacies. 

But what about the fact that Mayweather recently announced he will fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on September 14 in the biggest fight that can be made in all of boxing? Does this atone for whiffing on a history-making bout against Pacquiao? 

Other than negotiating a catch weight of 152 pounds for his bout against Alvarez, as reported by ESPN, the negotiations for Mayweather-Alvarez appear to have unfolded with shocking ease and cordiality. Perhaps the weight stipulations are a subtle reminder that Mayweather is still “boss” and the sport’s cash cow, even if Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO), at 22, is a burgeoning star—both inside and outside the ring. 

Nevertheless, the point is that the fight got made, and it means that boxing fans are going to be given exactly what they want and deserve. 

The criticism of Mayweather’s opposition has undoubtedly been magnified—and perhaps blown out of proportion—by not fighting Pacquiao. Mayweather is a five-division champion who has a 21-0 record in title fights and is 19-0 against former or current world champions, according to Boxrec Encyclopedia. Some of this skepticism has to do with Mayweather defeating once-great fighters like Shane Mosley, for instance, instead of pursuing matchups with more prime contemporaries. 

The debate about Mayweather’s level of opposition can and will be carried out ad nauseam.

The reality, however, is that those who hate Mayweather or scoff at some of his opponents aren’t going to change their minds. Mayweather’s polarizing nature—both inside and outside the ring—is an odd testament to his character, and he is a rare public figure who can inspire passion and disgust from anyone who cares about boxing.

Another reality is that all Mayweather can do is control his opponent selection going forward.

Mayweather started his six-figure fight deal with Showtime well, winning a lopsided decision over Robert Guerrero in a fight that seemed inevitable. Guerrero was almost unanimously lauded as a fine opponent for Mayweather to start off with, and Money was sublime in schooling “The Ghost” for 12 rounds. 

With five fights left on his contract, fighting Alvarez next is admirable and a pleasant surprise. Mayweather’s defense was on point against Guerrero, and his overall sharpness suggests that the signs of decline he exhibited against Miguel Cotto were perhaps overstated. 

By fighting a rising Alvarez, Mayweather is giving a young, strong champion the chance to unseat him. This is certainly in line with boxing’s rich passing of the torch tradition, even if Mayweather will be the clear favorite. But this fight takes on added legitimacy and danger because of the way Alvarez looked in out-boxing Austin Trout to unify junior middleweight titles. The way Alvarez made Trout miss was surprising, and this suggests that he is carefully honing his overall craft. 

Alvarez’s noticeable fight-to-fight improvement raises the already astronomical stakes of this bout.

Both fighters are massive draws, and Mayweather-Alvarez should generate gargantuan pay-per-view numbers. And really, why would Mayweather want to change how he’s viewed? If anything, he makes that much more money because of viewers who hate him paying to watch a fight on the off chance he’ll lose. 

So go ahead and blame Mayweather for not fighting Pacquiao (or the other way around, depending on where your allegiances lie). If the perception is that no one other than Pacquiao posed Mayweather an actual threat for several years, that isn’t Floyd’s fault. 

Mayweather is working towards correcting the Pacquiao blunder by fighting Alvarez, even if it isn’t a conscious motive. But it’s now time to take a step back, enjoy (or hate) Mayweather one fight at a time and relish what could be a spectacular finish to a remarkable career. 

Historically, boxing has consistently had captivating fighters with crossover appeal. Whether related to in-ring prowess, engaging personalities or confusing behavior, names like Muhammad Ali, Ray Leonard, Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, to name a few, quickly come to mind as boxers whose popularity transcends the sport itself. 

Floyd Mayweather currently sits atop boxing’s mythical pound-for-pound rankings, and he has also assumed the “cash cow” distinction last held by De La Hoya.

But with Mayweather’s career in the midst of its twilight phase, the search for boxing’s next genuine superstar has been going on in earnest. In a sport where hype often outweighs substance, such a process can be fraught with false starts and shattered expectations. 

When it comes to finding a fighter who combines genuine talent—and the realization of that talent—with a somewhat indefinable ability to captivate fans and pundits, Mexico’s Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has become, for many, the logical choice. At only 22, Canelo should seemingly be in the novice stages of his career, and it is precisely this meteoric rise that is part of his appeal. 

But why are fans and pundits so sure Alvarez (42-0-1) will be boxing’s next superstar?

Is it based on Alvarez’s body of work and flourishing popularity, or do desire and the need for instant gratification play as large a role in this anointing? 

With Golden Boy Promotions strongly backing Alvarez, the parallels between Canelo and his boss, the aforementioned De La Hoya, is obvious. But unlike De La Hoya, Alvarez did not ride the wave of Olympic glory into the professional ranks. In fact, Alvarez turned professional in Mexico at 15 in 2005, which means he has learned on the job and had a “hard knocks” beginning to his career. 

With 43 fights under his belt, Alvarez has progressed at a fairly remarkable rate considering his brief—yet still successful—amateur background, which consisted of 20 fights. That the bulk of Alvarez’s experience has come as a professional also suggests that he has vast reserves of untapped potential. This palpable sense of promise that might be the most tantalizing aspect of his brief career arc. 

While Alvarez had seemingly outrun his age for much of his career, things slowed, relatively, when he became a champion. Understandably, after winning the WBC light middleweight title outright in 2011 against Matthew Hatton, expectations and demands increased for Alvarez. 

There was skillful maneuvering that led to Alvarez getting a WBC “Silver” title shot against Luciano Leonel Cuello in 2010. During Alvarez’s official title reign, almost of all of his opposition has been mediocre at best, and this includes the likes of Ryan Rhodes, a continental-level fighter; Alfonso Gomez, a tough but limited boxer; Kermit Cintron, a former titlist well past his best; Shane Moseley, a legend who was way past his prime; and Josesito Lopez, a game fighter, but a natural 140-pounder (and occasional welterweight). 

But just as dissenters were starting to wag their fingers at Alvarez, he defeated Austin Trout to unify titles in a major bout. 

With this victory, Alvarez secured a new level of legitimacy. Alvarez-Trout was far from a classic, but the fight was still cagey and fought at a high level. Other than scoring a clean knockdown that had Trout on jelly legs and clearly being the more powerful fighter, it was Alvarez’s defense that was so impressive. 

According to CompuBox, Alvarez limited Trout to 154 landed shots out of 769 punches thrown for a paltry connect percentage of 20. This was achieved through a combination of Alvarez’s own offense and his surprisingly slick head and upper body movement.

If there was any knock on Alvarez heading into this fight, it was that Trout could outbox him; ultimately, one could argue that the opposite ended up happening. 

Given that Alvarez’s defensive improvement was most evident against his best opponent (by far) to date, it seems plausible that he has just entered the elite, championship phase of his career. Added to this is the fact that Alvarez-Trout involved a disproportionately significant promotion—over 38,000 fans watched it live—when considering Trout’s relative anonymity (compared to Alvarez). 

Alvarez has long been marketable beyond his accomplishments, while also possessing boyish looks and an engaging fighting style. He has now shown himself to be a quality, improving young champion with a rabid fanbase, even if it is unclear whether he’s actually charismatic outside the ring. 

All that matters is that Alvarez brings out latent excitement and passion in fans, which is why he has been considered as a potential opponent for Floyd Mayweather for some time. That the Mayweather camp has insisted a fight against Alvarez take place at welterweight is clearly an aggressive power play meant—at least partly—to thwart the legitimacy Alvarez brings to the bargaining table. 

Mayweather is in no rush to pass his torch to Alvarez, nor should he be. Alvarez is coming up to a crucial stretch in his career, and fighting Mayweather at the expense of continuing his logical development could be a mistake.

Then again, maybe remaining undefeated isn’t as important to Alvarez’s popularity as it is for other fighters. 

Alvarez, thus far, has simply gone about his business and won fights. His willingness to fight the best as a response to criticism is admirable, and those traits, if he continues to nurture them, are what will ultimately fuel his stardom. 

Saul Alvarez proved himself worthy of the hype and established himself as a legitimate contender to replace Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao as the sport's next PPV king. In the process, he also demonstrated the worth of open scoring. Open scoring reveals the scores after the fourth and eighth rounds to give the athletes an idea of who is winning.

The fight was very competitive, and as a result of Canelo's effective aggression, ring generalship and defense, he was ahead on the cards—possibly more ahead on the cards than warranted, but that is another debate. While Trout landed and threw more punches, he was not winning the other 75 percent of the scoring criteria. 

It would have been logical for Austin to believe that he was winning the fight going into the final four rounds because of his statistical advantage in punch output and scoring blows. However, the fact that he never landed any damaging blows and Canelo had landed the bigger shots had him behind. Knowing that the judges had seen the fight this way gave Trout the seminal realization that he needed to win the final four rounds and score knockdowns or even a knockout to win. This is a great advantage.

Frequently, cornermen advise their fighter to execute a strategy that is incompatible with victory based on the secrecy of the scoring. In this case, Austin, and his team, were given the very best opportunity to win by knowing that he was behind on the cards and needed to dramatically dominate the final four rounds or lose.

Conversely, had he not known, Team No Doubt would have been done a great disservice. It is likely that he would have tried to conservatively box the final four rounds with the misconception that he was winning. He would have later regretted not being more aggressive and lamented that he wished he had known he was losing.

There are some who felt that Trout won the fight and did enough to deserve the decision win. It was indeed a close contest. It is hard to deny, though, that Canelo landed the heavier shots and won the effective aggression component of each round. His overall accuracy was nine percent superior to Trout (29 percent to 20 percent). That shows his defense was better. Trout landed more punches and was busier. As for ring generalship, it seemed more often than not not that Canelo was fighting his fight.

Regardless of how people scored the bout, the point is that Austin deserved to know what the score was. If he was being cheated by Texan judging, as critics contend, it was correct to have given him the opportunity to do something about it. This indisputably is the lesser of the two evils.

Critics of open scoring contend that once a fighter knows he is winning, he will coast and disengage. However, they are inside a ring. A fighter with the superlative skill of Trout can cut a fighter off and find them. There is no place to hide in a boxing match.

Open scoring is fair. It is unfair to have the athletes unaware of their place in the contest. Are they winning or losing? Do they need to be more aggressive, change strategy, fight desperate?

Only open scoring will give the boxer a fighting chance to win. To those who believe that Trout won, at least they can say he knew during the fight what he had to do to win, thanks to open scoring.

Watching last night's junior middleweight championship tilt was a bit like watching Brooklyn Decker prance around in a bikini in slow motion, only to vomit all over herself.

On the surface, it was an excellent give-and-take scrap, pitting the slick boxer against the aggressive boxer/puncher. The keys to success belonged to the fighter who could impose his style on the other man. The result of the contrast in styles led to a compelling battle that saw surges and stumbles from both combatants.

In the end, the judges preferred Canelo Alvarez's harder, more accurate punches to the rapid fire attack of Austin Trout. Viewers were treated to a more multi-dimensional Alvarez than we've seen before. He was forced to use his underrated boxing skills and head movement to blunt the constant jabbing of the southpaw Austin Trout, while relishing at times in the role of counter-puncher. The result was a more well-rounded Alvarez than the straight-forward brawling style we've become accustomed to seeing. Bottom line: We knew he could fight, but this kid can BOX. 

Trout, for his part, boxed brilliantly for long stretches of the fight. He seemed to befuddle Alvarez with his movement and punching angles. He utilized his size advantage to give him the biggest edge for much of the fight—distance.

Time and again we'd watch Alvarez fling a jab and then follow with a massive right hand, only to come up just short of his mark. This is a testament to Trout's ring intelligence and southpaw style. Trout proved something else to the boxing world; the guy has heart. He made one of the few mistakes he made all night early in the seventh round when he bit on a feint from Alvarez and ate a straight right hand he never saw coming. He fought the rest of the round with his legs in terrible shape and not only stayed upright, but eventually took control of the round.

It was this Juan Manuel Marquez-type recuperating power that may have impressed observers the most. A fighter can endear himself to the public quickly by having the heart to rise and fight on. This display, coupled with his obvious skill and difficult style will make him a problem for any fighter in the 154-160 pound range. Trout may not have home run power, but he can certainly take a shot and survive.

On such a huge night for boxing, with a massive crowd cheering nearly every second of the fight, the invariable head-scratching that occurs in nearly every fight becomes even more glaring, and even more magnified. Judge at ringside Stanley Christodoulou's ghastly score of 118-109 for Alvarez sticks out as badly as the dreadful card judge Pierre Benoist turned in for the first Sergio Martinez/Paul Williams fight.

Don't let Trout's calm and controlled demeanor after the fight fool you; that card was an abomination and underscores everything that is awful in boxing. A close win for either fighter would have been a fair call; this reeked of brutal incompetence or worse...

How on this earth a supposedly trained and competent judge could see fit to give Trout two clean rounds is horrifying. The point is made even more bizarre by the fact that he saw fit to score the seventh a 10-9 round for Alvarez, instead of 10-8 like the other two judges. Somehow, he gave credit to Trout for winning the rest of the seventh round after the knockdown, but almost no credit otherwise.

Yikes. 

The other issue with the fight was the needless utilization of the WBC's god-awful open-scoring system, in which the fighters are made aware of the judges scores after the fourth and eighth rounds. In this case, a fight that seemed extremely close to the majority of the writers, commentators, and fans, was revealed to be a blowout for Alvarez after round eight. This not only caused Trout to change his style and attack, which is out of the ordinary for him, but it allowed Alvarez to put it in cruise control, especially in the championship rounds. How the implementation of this rule helps boxing in any way is beyond this writer.

The terrible scorecard and the open scoring system tainted an otherwise fantastic night for the sport. Even referee Lawrence Cole, who is usually either snoring or somewhere in the 10th row during fights, had a good night. Regardless of the politics, it luckily didn't take any stock away from Alvarez o rTrout.

Both have big things ahead of them. For Trout, he could attempt to make a run at the middleweight division, or stay at 154 and be considered the favorite against any opponent not nicknamed Cinnamon. As for Alvarez, he seems destined for the brightest and biggest lights boxing has to offer, including a shot at the biggest spotlight of all: A shot at Floyd Mayweather.

Before Saturday night's 154-pound unification bout between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and Austin Trout, I was a proponent of open scoring. All that changed when I watched it ruin the broadcast of an otherwise good fight.

On one hand, it exposed the lunacy in Stanley Christodoulou's scorecard, per Box Rec (he was the judge that had the fight scored 118-109 in favor of Alvarez), but on the other hand, it made Alvarez coast in the final round.

Who can blame him? The fight was in the bag and unfortunately for us, he knew it.

The judges' cards were shared after the fourth and eighth rounds, so with Alvarez up by a wide margin on all three cards, the rest of the fight was anti-climatic.

National Football Post writer Joe Fortenbaugh had a great tweet about open scoring, and his scorecard spoke to how close the fight was.

Boxing committing self mutilation with open scoring. I bet Alvarez, but still scored it 114-113 Trout.

— Joe Fortenbaugh (@JoeFortenbaugh) April 21, 2013

Austin Trout is not a knockout fighter, so the final four rounds were basically moot. There was no reason for Alvarez to press hard to finish and Trout doesn't possess the firepower to pull off the dramatic KO he needed.

So once all that sunk in, I asked myself: Why exactly am I still watching this? That should never happen in a boxing match.

Officially, in addtion to Christodoulou's utterly insane scorecard, Oren Shellenberger (111-116) and Rey Danseco (112-115) had Alvarez winning as well, but with far more reasonable scores.

This fight was closer than the judges indicated, but we were robbed of the possibility of seeing any late-round magic. The fighters knew the scores and it was apparent in the way they approached the final rounds.

Truth be told, it was a difficult fight to score on some levels. Without question Alvarez landed the more telling blows, but Trout landed more and took control of the quiet rounds with his activity.

That's exactly why the open scoring ruined the drama. In a fight like this, neither man would have had an inkling how the fight was being scored. They would have had to stick to their game plans, or make adjustments to win it late.

Instead, the ending had all the excitement of watching a fight on tape delay when you've already had someone spoil the ending for you on Twitter.

I too had the fight scored for Alvarez at 115-113, as I called one round even. But the decision wasn't really the point here.

However you look at it, the right man won and that is what is most important. I just wish I hadn't found out after the eighth round.

Follow me, because I love boxing and you do too.

Canelo Alvarez (42-0-1) pushed his stardom to new heights with a unanimous-decision victory over previously undefeated foe Austin Trout (26-1) on Saturday. 

However, Trout shouldn't walk away from this fight with his head down too low; he did plenty to raise his stock in his defense of his WBA light middleweight crown. Despite the clean sweep on the scorecards, Trout put in a performance that proved he is one of the elite fighters in the 154-pound weight class. 

It didn't change the final result, but Trout was able to execute his game plan, dictate the pace and out-box Alvarez for stretches of the fight. He showed incredible heart by rebounding from the first knockdown of his career by winning the rest of the round.

There are those, such as MaxBoxing's Gabriel Montoya, that would make a strong case that Trout even won the fight.

Good fight. I had Trout winning and making the fight. But it was pre-ordained so who cares? I like competitive fights both can win. #boxing

— Gabriel Montoya™ (@Gabriel_Montoya) April 21, 2013

Being on the losing end of a tightly contested decision is a disappointing way to be handed your first loss, but it isn't as if Trout was blown out. The fact that he gave Alvarez a good bout should be enough to either warrant a rematch down the road or make him a more recognizable draw for bigger fights. 

He no longer has the drawing power of being undefeated, but it's not as though he was blown out by inferior competition. A razor thin loss to a future (or current) superstar isn't the end of the world. Trout will be back in the limelight sooner rather than later.

For Alvarez, he doesn't have to worry about blemishing his undefeated record yet. He preserved his perfect 42-0-1 mark, and at just 22 years old, he's in a great position to push his career to new heights with the win.

Whether or not you agree with the decision, Alvarez didn't back down against a fellow undefeated champion. His combination of power and strength was on display, and he became the first person to send Trout to the canvas in his career. 

If Alvarez can keep delivering impressive wins, he may just wind up as boxing's next big draw. 

Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout is a big deal in boxing.

Not only is it a matchup of two young, undefeated light middleweight champions, it is also a match that could be the first real showcase for the next great pay-per-view star in the sport.

Alvarez's following is humongous already, but if he knocks off Trout, he'll move to the next stratosphere.

I've already written my preview, and I predict Trout will earn a decision.

But let's see what others in the media say about the fight.

Take a look at this video that features predictions from Steve Kim of Max Boxing, Kieran Mulvaney of ESPN and Carlos Nava of ESPN Deportes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BniC4Wjp4Hs

Kim favors Trout in the fight. He cites the 27-year-old's size advantage, quickness and fluidity as the deciding factors.

I completely agree with his points. Analysts don't make enough of the fact that much of Canelo's opposition has been overblown welterweights and junior welterweights.

I fully expect Trout's size to play a role in the fight.

Mulvaney likes Canelo. He gives Trout his respect but believes that Alvarez will wear Trout down late in the fight.

He doesn't see either man being stopped but predicts Canelo winning the fight by decision. 

It is difficult for me to see a scenario where that comes to pass. Trout is the superior boxer, and he's not a runner. If he gets tagged by Alvarez, he won't retreat.

Therefore, he'd probably be stopped if things play out as Mulvaney describes. In my eyes, a KO or TKO is Alvarez's only chance to win.

Nava also likes Alvarez. He predicts Canelo will win by late stoppage and cites the influence of the largely Mexican crowd as a factor.

I certainly acknowledge the pro-Alvarez crowd will play a part in the fight, but Trout proved he could perform in a hostile environment in his last bout.

He defeated Miguel Cotto in Madison Square Garden, handing him his first loss in the legendary venue. Cotto fans filled the arena, but Trout seemed to relish the me-against-the-world position.

Former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd and Doug Fischer of Ring TV weigh in on the fight in the video below.

I'm not sure what Byrd's opinion is on the fight, as he forgot who Alvarez will even fight. Fischer, though, likes Alvarez in the fight because of Trout's susceptibility to the left hook and Alvarez's power.

Fischer makes good points, but he neglects to recognize how well Trout thinks in the ring.

He has a solid chin, and he won't panic if he takes a few shots early. He has the ability to adjust, and that will be one of the qualities that spurs him to victory.

So many varying opinions just makes the fight all the more interesting.

I can't wait.

Follow me, because I love boxing and you do too.

Follow @BrianMazique