Floyd Mayweather’s disposal of ‘Canelo’ Alvarez leaves vacant landscape
LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. has four more fights on his contract with Showtime, but in a landscape that saw the popular Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s elimination as a serious contender Saturday night, who else remains?
“Um … ,” Mayweather said when asked at his post-fight news conference.
Maybe it’ll be unbeaten world junior-welterweight champion Danny Garcia, who was impressive in defeating hard-punching Lucas Matthysse by unanimous decision in the co-main event at MGM Grand.
“I beat the best fighters at 140 [pounds], what else do you want me to do?” said Garcia, who said he’d like to move up to welterweight.
That’s where Mayweather (45-0) will likely return after capturing Alvarez’s World Boxing Council and World Boxing Assn. light-middleweight belts.
“I’ll sit down with Floyd and we’ll have to put together another big fight again,” promoter Richard Schaefer said. “But from what we saw tonight, it doesn’t matter who you put in front of him. He can beat them. He’s a once-in-a-generation fighter.”
Before a sellout, $20.03-million live-gate crowd of 16,746, Mayweather claimed a majority decision victory with judges Craig Metcalfe scoring it 117-111, Dave Moretti 116-112 and C.J. Ross turning in a highly suspect 114-114 scorecard.
“That scorecard was a disgrace,” Schaefer said. “How that judge was appointed … I would urge you to ask why. And will it happen again?”
Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission who gave Ross the assignment after her dubious nod to Timothy Bradley by decision over Manny Pacquiao in 2012, said, “It was one of those things … if you look round by round, there were some close rounds.”
Ross disagreed with both Metcalfe and Moretti in giving Alvarez (42-1-1) the first and eighth rounds. Kizer said he “has no issues with the first, and I’ll take a look at the eighth.”
He should also assess whether Ross ever participates again in a major title fight.
“Things happen,” Mayweather said.
Mayweather happened to Alvarez, 23, on Saturday, the 36-year-old connecting on 232 punches to Alvarez’s 117, 139 jabs to Alvarez’s 44 and 93 power punches to the harder-hitting Alvarez’s 73. Mayweather landed an average of 11 of 27 jabs per round.
“I just took my time and when the opportunity presented itself, I took advantage of it,” Mayweather said. “My arm wasn’t feeling good, but I knew I had to keep throwing my jab.”
He said he’ll fight again in May against someone, perhaps either Garcia or the Amir Khan-Devon Alexander winner in December.
Mayweather, after repeated failed negotiations to fight Pacquiao, said, “At this point, Manny Pacquiao is not in my plans. … I’ve got 24 months left, and this it, man.”
As for Alvarez, Schaefer said Miguel Cotto makes sense if Cotto wins his fight next month. Another possibility is new International Boxing Federation light-middleweight champion Carlos Molina of Chicago.
Alvarez was distraught in defeat, telling reporters, “I didn’t want to lose. It happened. It hurts. He’s very fast and accurate. I had my game plan, but he was very good. We just didn’t have an answer.”
Mayweather wouldn’t admit he dropped even one round to Alvarez, but consoled the youngster.
“I want to commend this champion,” Mayweather said. “He will carry this torch.”
ALSO:
Mayweather vs. Canelo: round-by-round recap
Floyd Mayweather Jr. dominates, gets decision over ‘Canelo’ Alvarez
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