Canelo vs. GGG: 5 keys for Canelo Alvarez

1. Vary the right hand

Canelo Alvarez obviously throws an exceptional left hook to the body, and he’ll need to consistently touch Gennady Golovkin downstairs to make a dent against the seemingly impenetrable Kazakh. That said, the key to Canelo’s power-punching tactics could be how he employs his right hand. Fans have seen him annihilate James Kirkland and Amir Khan with frighteningly powerful single right hand shots, but can he disguise and vary the punch enough to befuddle Golovkin?

Let’s start with countering. As mentioned earlier, Canelo will need to slip Golovkin’s jab and counter with crisp right hands. Because Golovkin will apply steady pressure, Canelo will need to have success with this move to disrupt the Kazakh’s rhythm and make GGG hesitate enough so that he can shift to his front foot and return fire with combinations. Whether Canelo can do that will depend on the force and accuracy of his counter right cross.

With regards to body punching, Canelo might be able to connect with spearing left-right hook combinations. If he can evade Golovkin’s jab, he can land his counter right downstairs, as well as to the head. Moreover, a jab-right hook to the body, which worked against Khan, is a combination he can return to in spots versus Golovkin. Because he keeps a high guard as he advances, Golovkin is also susceptible to a looping right hand around his gloved fortifications, and Canelo has the technique and speed to land such a punch.

Lastly, the right uppercut. Canelo can counter with it or employ the punch as a means to split an opponents’ guard from surprising distances. When Golovkin ducks and leans forward, Canelo can look to draw out a jab or hook with feints and then counter with his right uppercut. He can of course include this punch in his blistering combinations, or, if feeling emboldened, he can fire it directly at a pivoting Golovkin whenever he manages to turn away from danger (as opposed to when he’s backing up).

Next: 20 little-known facts about Gennady Golovkin

Many feel the gap has narrowed between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. While the evidence to truly suggest this is highly subjective and open to debate and interpretation, what’s undeniable is that Canelo has established himself as a viable pound-for-pound talent. And at the end of the day, in a fight of this magnitude, that’s what gives him more than a fighting chance to win and makes him a worthy foe for Golovkin .