Canelo Knocks Out Kirkland In Third With Perfect Right Hand Feint, Cotto Next
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Houston, TX (May 10th, 2015)– Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and James ‘Mandingo’ Kirkland showed more in less than three rounds more than Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao showed in 12 rounds last week. In a brief but sensational action packed light middleweight war in which both fighters went for broke on May 9, 2015, in the televised HBO main event at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, Alvarez knocked down Kirkland in the first and third rounds, then finished him with a straight right hand feint which started low but went high instead, and knocked out Kirkland.
Saul Alvarez knocks out James Kirkland, Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas, May 9, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUVYwnUxKEc
Kirkland, fighting with an inexperienced corner and not Anne Wolfe, his longtime trainer, noted “I definitely like that kind of fighting. Canelo is a crafty fighter, he comes with a lot of skill, he’s up on his P’ and Q’s.” In the third, Canelo dropped Kirkland with a right uppercut under the left jab. Latein the third round, Canelo threw a counter right hand which fooled Kirkland on the ropes completely into throwing a wild left hook which missed. Alvarez, now 45-1-1, Juanacatlan, Mexico, feigned low to the body, but landed the right hand to the head instead. Kirkland, now 32-2-2 with 28 knockouts, Austin, Texas, his guard down, fell knocked out. The way Alvarez versus Kirkland ended was eerily similar to the right hand Wilfredo Benitez used to knock out Maurice Hope for the World Boxing Council World Junior Middleweight title in May 1981.
Wilfredo Benitez knocks out WBC champion Maurice Hope in Las Vegas, May 23, 1981
As to GGG or Miguel Cotto next, Canelo noted after the bout “Sure. That’s the kind of fight we want next.” As HBO commentator Roy Jones Jr. noted “Freddie Roach has turned Miguel Cotto into an aggressive fighter. Canelo is like a pit bull, once you turn him on, you can’t turn him off. This would be a great fight (Canelo versus Cotto).” HBO commentator Max Kellerman noted “A fight between Canelo and Cotto would be a mega event sure to produce fireworks.” After the bout,it was learned the Alvarez and Cotto promoters signed an agreement for the Saul Alvarez versus Miguel Cotto mega bout in Fall 2015. First, Cotto has to win his upcoming middleweight title defense with Daniel Geale of Australia.
Result: Saul Alvarez KO 3 James Kirkland, Junior Middleweights (2:19)
Referee: Jon Schorle. Kirkland was down in the first round and twice in the third round.
Minute Maid Park Undercard, Houston, Texas
Rodrigo Guerrero RTD 7 Arturo Badillo, Bantamweights
Joseph Diaz Win 10 Giovanni Delgado, Featherweights
Joshua Clottey Win 10 Jorge Silva, Super Welterweights
Ryan Martin TKO 1 Ivan Zavala, Super Lightweights
Curtis Meeks Win Majority 8 Ramsey Luna, Super Lightweights
Keandre Gibson Win 8 Jorge Romero, Welterweights
Armando Pena TKO 2 Zachariah Kelley, Light Heavyweights
Alfonzo Lopez TKO 2 Lester Gonzalez, Light Heavyweights
Joseph Rodriguez Win Majority 6 Luis Guevara, Super Featherweights
Taishan Dong Win Majority 4 Jamal Woods, Heavyweights
Crescensio Ramos TKO 1 Cody Walker, Featherweights
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