Canelo def. Chavez Jr. via shutout decision: 5 biggest takeaways

6 of 6

The hype for Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin has started.

LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 06: (L-R) WBC/WBA/IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin is interviewed in the ring by boxing commentator Max Kellerman as Canelo Alvarez looks on after defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by unanimous decision in their catchweight bout at T-Mobile Arena on May 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

1. Canelo-Golovkin needs the royal treatment

In many respects, Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin sells itself. It’s the most compelling fight that can be made in boxing between two of the sport’s biggest stars — a marquee event that has the substance to match its spectacle. Such fights in boxing are rare and increasingly so in the United States, where a match like the Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko classic, for example, would not have appropriately resonated.

Canelo-Golovkin deserves a multi-city press tour, and the hope here is that it lands in a major stadium as opposed to the glitzy and soulless confines of Las Vegas. HBO will surely produce an extended “24/7” type series, and the “Face Off” with Max Kellerman should be compelling.

But both Golden Boy Promotions and K2 should make a concerted effort to bring this fight into the mainstream, even though it lacks an American star. Whether that means talkshow appearances for Golovkin or Canelo pounding the pavement in Stateside Mexican-American strongholds remains to be seen, but the attempt should be made to get a larger swath of the public to care about this fight.

The undercard must also be stacked, along the lines of when Danny Garcia fought Lucas Matthysse on the undercard of Canelo’s loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Assuming the injuries David Lemieux sustained against Marcos Reyes aren’t serious, he should be brought back. And if Daniel Jacobs can somehow be included, promotional politics aside, a logical future opponent for the Canelo-Golovkin winner is in place. The important thing is to imbue Canelo-Golovkin with a narrative that extends beyond actual fight in order to capitalize on what could be a special night.

Next: Canelo-GGG set for September 16

So, if Canelo Alvarez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. taught us little of substance in terms of in-ring action, the Golovkin announcement provided plenty of talking points. Although boxing took a bit of a stumble last night after riding high following Joshua-Klitschko, there was at least some evidence that the sport’s power brokers can learn from their multitudinous — and painfully obvious — mistakes.

Home/Boxing