On May 5, 2018, Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez will square off for the IBF World Middleweight title. You can catch the action from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas starting at 8pm Eastern time on HBO. This is the rematch of the bout the two put on back on September 16 of last year, which ended in controversial fashion as the judges declared a draw. Both of the pugilists have said that they will end the fight before it goes to the cards this time. Check out our boxing betting prediction for this title bout.
Golovkin vs Alvarez II Boxing Betting Prediction
Gennady Golovkin (-188) comes in with a record of 37-0-1, with 33 of those 37 wins coming via the knockout. This will be his fifth bout since the start of 2016. Many observers thought that Golovkin was robbed by the judges in the decision back in September, so this could motivate him to come out with less caution and push the envelope, looking to win with a knockout.
Golovkin is nearing the older end of the age spectrum in boxing, now 36 years old. Father Time might be catching up with Golovkin, because while only five fights he has had have gone to the cards, each of his last two has. He has an aggressive approach, using an orthodox stance and moving toward his opponent. The rapidity and intensity of his attack force his opponents to make errors under the pressure, and it is when an opening occurs during one of these mistakes that he has a tendency to throw the punch that ends the fight. His jab also feels like a bag of rocks, but his footwork and hand speed are well above what you might expect from this style of fighter. Golovkin does take a lot of punches for a boxer at his level, but one of the more entertaining parts of his first bout with Alvarez was the scenes of him laughing after Alvarez landed some real shots. If he can maintain that level of strength while increasing his aggressiveness, he has an excellent shot to win this bout.
What About Canelo?
Canelo Alvarez is 11 years younger than Golovkin but has more fights on his resume, coming in with a record of 49-1-2 (with his lone loss coming in 2014 to Floyd Mayweather Jr). Of his 49 wins, 34 have come by the knockout, and he has won seven of his last eight bouts, with the lone exception that draw to Golovkin back in the fall. There are some who say that it was the inexplicable scoring from judge Adalaide Byrd that gave Alvarez a draw that he did not deserve, but the questions will all be answered when the two boxers meet again in Vegas.
Like Golovkin, Alvarez boasts a 70-inch reach, and he also has considerable power behind each punch, which is one reason why he has knockouts in eight of his last 13 wins. His combination punching might be among the top three or four in the whole sport, and he is solid on the defensive end, parrying a lot of shots that might stagger lesser boxers. He has shown that he can take big shots and keep fighting as well, maintaining position while in a firestorm of punches. In September, he was able to absorb from bombs from Golovkin without giving up too much in the way of position.
Expert Boxing Betting Prediction and Pick
Of the two fighters, Alvarez has more athleticism and has the advantage of youth. However, in that September bout, Golovkin basically shoved Alvarez around the ring and landed more punches in 10 of the fight’s 12 rounds. As the fight wore on, Golovkin kept up the aggression, while Alvarez’s offense withered. There are some holes in Golovkin’s defense that Alvarez can exploit, but the punching power that Golovkin brings on the attack should break through Alvarez’s defenses — and the additional boost that the memory of that controversial judging decision will provide for Golovkin. I predict that GGG will win by decision.
