Four years later, bitter Canelo-GGG rivalry finally renews for long awaited 3rd fight
Two great bouts in the books. Now the final chapter is at hand
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LAS VEGAS — Before Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin met for the first this time in September 2017 they were friendly rivals, so much so that Golovkin talked about seeing a time when they would have dinner with each other and their children would play together.
That was then and this is now.
There is a lot of water under the bridge:
The massively controversial draw most thought Golovkin deserved to win in the first fight.
The intensely bitter buildup to the rematch on the same September weekend in 2018. It was delayed due to Alvarez’s failed drug test but he won a controversial majority decision to end GGG’s first middleweight title reign at a division record-tying 20 consecutive successful defenses.
Alvarez’s decision to make Golovkin wait four years for a third fight, a soap opera in itself — with accompanying litigation — due to Golovkin having a DAZN contract guaranteeing him the fight but Alvarez’s contract not containing the language for that obligation.
The disdain they have for each other appears real as they head into a long-awaited third fight, which will be for Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight title and see unified middleweight titlist Golovkin moving up in weight, on Saturday (DAZN PPV and PPV.com, 8 p.m. ET) at T-Mobile Arena, the venue for all three bouts, each of which was scheduled to take place on Mexican Independence Day weekend.
“He’s an asshole. That's what he is.” — Canelo on GGG
“He was avoiding this fight for over four years.” — GGG on Canelo