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Saul “Canelo” Àlvarez scored a unanimous decision win over Jermell Charlo to successfully defend his WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF super middleweight titles in a matchup of undisputed champions at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Canelo looked sharp early on. He spent a lot of the opening rounds getting his reads and processing information but he also landed some hard body shots that got Charlo thinking.
Audley Harrison MBE @audleyharrison
I think Canelo got into Charlo’s head, so he needs to find his feet & get some confidence early on, and not get hurt. If he can do that, he can make a good go of it … #CaneloCharlo
As Canelo got settled in, his gameplan became more clear. He stalked Charlo down, put pressure on and waited to counter whatever the challenger threw his way.
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
4-0, Canelo (though if you want to go 10-10 on that first, I’d understand). Charlo has been on the defensive all night. Canelo’s commitment to the body has been a difference maker early.
All of Canelo’s early work started to really pay off in the sixth round. He cracked Charlo with a few punches that clearly impacted Charlo. The late success in the midpoint round worked to set up a big moment for him in Round 7.
A tight right hand sent Charlo down for just the second time in his entire career.
SHOWTIME Boxing @ShowtimeBoxing
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