Canelo Stops Alfredo Angulo In The 10th Round

Photos by Tom Casino for Showtime

by Gautham Nagesh

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez dominated Alfredo Angulo on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, scoring a 10th-round stoppage in the Showtime Pay Per View main event. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in an stopped the fight after Canelo landed a particularly vicious left uppercut on Angulo, drawing a furious reaction from both the crowd and “el Perro”.

Until that point it had been a masterful performance from Alvarez, who was the better boxer and puncher on this night. We had thought Angulo’s rugged style and strength might present problems for Canelo, but el Perro was strangely listless and never appeared to pose much of a threat.

Canelo, on the other hand, was sharp and aggressive from the opening bell. He brought the fight to Angulo right away, and barely let up on the pressure over ten rounds. If there was any doubt about Canelo’s position near the top of the junior middleweight division, he showed tonight that he remains one of the sport’s premium fighters.

[[MORE]]Angulo protested the stoppage afterward in broken English, arguing he had planned to turn up the pressure in the championship rounds. That could be possible, but nothing Angulo had done suggested he would have been able to change the outcome. Angulo’s punches lacked their usual force, while Canelo was able to rock him with shots in almost every round. Canelo smartly came forward for most of the fight, putting Angulo in the unfamiliar position of having to fight off his back foot.

Angulo’s trainer Virgil Hunter likewise argued his man was coming on stronger at the time of the stoppage, while Canelo proclaimed himself ready to fight another 12 rounds. Having watched the stoppage live, it’s difficult to say definitively whether it was the wrong call. Angulo could have probably kept going, but Weeks was trying to protect the fighter, and I hate criticizing refs for trying to do the right thing. Still, he probably stepped in too soon.

Super bantamweight Leo Santa Cruz (above right) steamrolled Cristian Mijares in the co-feature, dispatching the veteran with his usual assortment of left hooks and right hands. Santa Cruz looked his usual dominant self, despite sustaining a cut on his right eye in the 4th round. Eventually Santa Cruz will have to face the division’s best, and he should be able to acquit himself quite well.

Venezuela’s Jorge Linares (below left) put on an offensive exhibition against Nihito Arakawa, winning a unanimous decision in the ten-round lightweight battle. Linares has one of the smoothest and most aesthetically pleasing attacks in the sport. His punches are so fluid and effortless, it’s easy to get lost in his masterful combinations. So easy, that Linares does it himself at times, which is when he usually gets in trouble courtesy of his questionable chin.

That element of danger kept this fight interesting, even as Linares pummeled Arakawa with every punch in the book. On the few occasions Arakawa turned up the pressure, Linares looked less than secure. Still, Jorge kept his composure and never let Arakawa seriously in his fight. To his credit, the Japanese fighter still came out charging in the final round, intent on trying to win.

Canelo’s brother Ricardo Alvarez opened the Pay Per View telecast by losing an entertaining ten-round lightweight contest to fellow Mexican Sergio Thompson (below left). Alvarez fought a spirited fight, but was done in by his inability to avoid almost anything. Alvarez was a sitting duck through the fight, eating a wide range of flush shots to the head from the hard-hitting Thompson. Sometimes Alvarez raised his gloves and blocked the shots, but more often Thompson found a way to reach him.

Thompson, who also campaigns at 130 lbs., took this fight on late notice after Omar Figueroa Jr. withdrew with a hand injury. Despite being the smaller man, Thompson was clearly the harder puncher. Both fighters landed plenty of clean punches, but it was Thompson who sent Alvarez down for the first two times in his career.

The first was a stiff jab to the chin that sent Alvarez falling back into the ropes. The second was on a right hand on the 8th round, when Alvarez appeared to be in the midst of a late rally. In between Thompson showed lackluster conditioning, while Alvarez took a tremendous amount of punishment without ceasing his attack. But Alvarez’s heart can’t conceal his lack of defense, and he put himself at risk by fighting a puncher like Thompson. Figueroa would have caused permanent damage.

Thompson impressed with his power, but he also looked extremely winded just halfway through the fight. If he prepares better, he could be a terror at 130 lbs. He lost a tough fight to Takashi Miura in his previous bout, so he could be poised for another shot at the super featherweights. Staying at lightweight is also a possibility, since his power obviously carries over well. Alvarez is pretty much what he is at age 30, but his famous last name should keep him employed for as long as he wishes.