Canelo vs. GGG: 5 keys for Canelo Alvarez

3. Throw consistent combinations

One distinct advantage Canelo Alvarez holds over Gennady Golovkin is hand speed. Additionally, Canelo has developed into an elite combination puncher able to string together head-body fusillades that hurt and handcuff opponents. When Canelo warms up and finds his rhythm in any bout, he’s able to accomplish a rare feat: blinding foes with blurring volleys in spots, all while laying the groundwork for knockout shots by setting traps.

One of the best recent examples of this was Canelo’s sickening knockout of Amir Khan, which saw Canelo tattoo Khan’s body with right hands before he scored the knockout blow with a jab feint-right cross upstairs that landed flush. Although this was only a two-punch explosion, Canelo committed to the combination and invested in it for several rounds.

If Canelo can employ combinations of three or more punches against Golovkin, he might be able to stymie the Kazakh’s offensive rhythm. Moreover, Canelo’s flashy flurries could be crucial in swaying the judges to score close rounds in his favor. Golovkin also throws thudding combinations, but they are more methodically set up and result from the work of a consistent, battering-ram jab. Canelo throws the more picturesque punch sequences — at least on the surface.

Also, there’s no way Canelo can make a dent in Golovkin with single shots. Indeed, Canelo has shown one-punch knockout power, but the best examples of this explosiveness came against vulnerable boxers like the aforementioned Khan and James Kirkland. Golovkin has famously never been dropped as an amateur or pro, and flush punches only seem to galvanize him. For Canelo, landing a combination can only be the beginning; he must follow-up with more — and more — whenever he can.