Powered by:
as known from New York Timesas known from USA Todayas known from yahoo!
VA
Contains commercial content
The Grueling Truth - Where Legends Speak / A History of Bad Judging for Canelo Alvarez: It’s not a conspiracy theory if it’s obvious

A History of Bad Judging for Canelo Alvarez: It’s not a conspiracy theory if it’s obvious

Does anything in boxing surprise you? It shouldn't.
Publish Date: 09/03/2018
Fact checked by: Mark Lewis

Versus Larry Mosley – Ray Corona – 99-91

The red-headed welterweight was fresh out of Mexico in this one, taking on his first American foe in veteran boxer Larry Mosley. The 15-2-2 (6 KOs) Mosley was no slouch, having an extensive amateur career and a decent professional one. In the unpaid ranks he was a United States Amateur Welterweight Champion twice, fought in the World Championships (defeated Yuri Foreman) and the Olympic Box-Offs (lost to Dante Craig). In the pros he managed draws with Golden Johnson and Miguel Figueroa.

Here he was brought in to provide a test for the young Golden Boy signee, and that he did. Both men started slowly but one thing remained consistent, Mosley’s left stick. He was able to tag the burgeoning star with regularity and maintained defensive quality control throughout. Alvarez later stated that he was β€œvery hesitant” because he could never β€œhit him twice.”

Mosley’s problem was that he couldn’t find a home for his harder shots on a regular basis and he was never a stiffen-you-flat kind of a guy. β€œCanelo” wasn’t either, but he was the more damaging of the two. He resorted to a power-puncher approach early on and stuck to it until the end, nicking enough of the rounds.

As a Sweet Science report would later have it, each round was β€œrazor close” but Alvarez’s harder shots gave him the nod for the judges. Fair enough, though probably not fair enough to award the rising prospect all but one round, which is what Ray Corona did.

It should be noted that Larry Mosley and his cornermen knew damn well that a fair decision would not be handed out, when between the 9th and 10th, Mosley’s trainer tells his stool-sitting boxer that they could go home because they’ve (Canelo and company) already got the fight. This is followed by his second-in-command stating calmly, β€œWe not getting no decision baby, we already know that.”

Versus Austin Trout – Stanley Christodoulou – 118-109

Canelo’s first big test came against the New Mexican southpaw, who was 26-0 with 14 knockouts going in. The anticipation was high. Everyone expected a good fight, well, except a South African holding a pencil and paper ringside.

In front of nearly 40,000 adoring fans, β€œNo Doubt” and Golden Boy’s new Golden Boy battled in a game of wits. Trout tentatively out-jabbed and out-threw the freckle-faced Guadalajara-borne boxer-puncher, while Alvarez tried picking his spots. Not much was done to separate their work until the 7th round. Alvarez let rip with a straight right that landed on the button early on, wobbling Trout before he hit the canvas. The lefty got up hurt and was staggered a few more times before the gong sounded.

Afterward, Trout managed to work himself back into the fight, finishing well and earning the victory on scorecards from boxing notables Cliff Rold, Lee Wylie, Mark Ortega, Lem Satterfield, Tom Gray and others. He came damn close to earning a win or draw on cards turned in by Al Bernstein, Dan Rafael, Michael Rosenthal, Bob Velin, Tim Dahlberg, etc. Only two cards that I saw had Alvarez winning more than seven rounds.

How it is that a paid attendant with an official rendering saw it so differently?

Versus Floyd Mayweather – C.J. Ross – 114-114

Alvarez was big business after defeating his only ranked opponent and Mayweather saw an opportunity to cash out on the face of this spritely Mexican. That happened, big time, but not before a big β€œWhat the fuck is this?!” was blurted out from Mayweather and fans after listening to maybe the worst card in modern memory announced.

Mayweather dominated from bell one to bell twelve. He scored with clean, accurate shots and allowed virtually nothing to land in returnβ€”forget the bogus punch stats. Alvarez did little to help his situation either, as he had a big size and youth advantage, but stuck to a box-first postureβ€”the first thing that made us scratch our heads.

Most simply nodded their heads in approval immediately after the last seconds ticked off. We all knewβ€”Alvarez’s daughter, mother and six fighting brothers includedβ€”that it was one-way action. Another stellar performance by β€œMoney”, join the crowd of jazz-clappers.

But then, to the shock of everyone but C.J. Ross and the people that might have slipped her either a sleeping pill or a bag of good-doing-business-with-you cash, Jimmy Lennon Jr. called out a majority decision.

Versus Erislandy Lara – Levi Martinez – 117-111

To his credit, Saul Alvarez didn’t need to take this fight, but he did. Golden Boy would have served much lesser foes on a platter and sugar-coated it for the fans. He stepped up and demanded that this be made after listening to the Cuban make a raucous at his interviews.

The fight didn’t excite many. Alvarez gave chase and banged; Lara circled and stuck to the one-two he’s best-known for. Alvarez landed harder; Lara landed more frequently.

A close examination of scores from those at press row and those viewing on their television showed once again that this was a nail-bitingly close affair and that the judges’ tally would do justice to that. Jerry Roth and Dave Moretti did their part. Levi Martinez did not.

Versus Miguel Cotto – Dave Moretti – 119-109

Fans, hardcore and casual alike, thought this was a quality scrap to be made, and one that made financial sense. You had, in Mayweather’s famously repetitive quote, β€œA young, hungry lion” squaring off with a faded champion. Cotto was β€œthe man” who had beaten β€œthe man” (Sergio Martinez), who had beaten β€œthe man” (Kelly Pavlik).

The odds-on favorite was Canelo and most agreed he should be. The majority of boxing people acknowledged a winning performance after the bout had played out. However, most did not agree with Dave Moretti’s atrociously biased scorecard. Doug Fischer, Steve Kim and Harold Lederman all came up with 117-111 for Canelo. According to Fischer, β€œmost media members around us scored it 116-112 for Alvarez.”

Dan Rafael had it closer, while a minority gave Cotto credit.

Versus Gennady Golovkin – Adalaide Byrd – 118-110

This was the most anticipated middleweight showdown in a long time. Gennady Golovkin had been pounding out contender and pretender alike, waiting in line to get the biggest fight available. Then, after half a decade, it finally arrives. Golden Boy offered up their Golden Pony.

Alvarez and Golovkin both seemed keen on making statements going in. What we got was a thoroughly enjoyable fight, but a thoroughly unenjoyable taint in Adalaide Byrd’s appointment as 1/3 of the jury that would help decide these boxers’ fate.

Out of 32 people I personally polled, drawn largely from well-known boxing contributors (Doug Fischer, Michael Montero, Lee Groves, Springs Toledo, Lennox Lewis, etc.) *, only four managed a draw and one…I repeat one…had Alvarez earning a decision.

Of a larger percentage taken by someone and posted on a highly-trafficked forum, the results bear further evidence of the oddity:

As Jim Lampley remarked in the latestΒ 24/7, “118-110. First of all, that didn’t happen for either fighter. It particularly didn’t happen for Canelo. Immediately you knew that you were in Looney Tunes Land.”

Incompetence or Corruption?

Both ineptitude and corruption are longstanding aspects of judging in this sport of the ancients, but when the big fights are being made a certain amount of time and effort is put in to ensure that veterans or newly-come elbow-rubbers usually get to sit near the apron. How is it then that these folks, who are often praised for their track records by the Swamp-Lords of Pugilistica, just happen to screw it up regularly, and oftentimes conveniently, for the fighter who has the money backing them?

How is it that Bob Bennett, the head of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, can constantly oversee injustice after injustice (four of these examples happened in Las Vegas) yet still praise the rΓ©sumΓ©s of those doling it out and offer no solution?

These examples and so many others don’t whisper the word incompetence to me. There is too much premeditation. It is too political. Let us call a spade a spadeβ€”it’s grade-A corruption that the rats of Washington D.C. could admire.

Until the movers and shakers in the media, the boxers, the fans, and other contributors hold these people accountable, don’t hold your breath until the next travesty.

Read Also
The Sunshine Showdown (aka/ “Down Goes Frazier”), Jamaica, 1973
β€œThe Sunshine Showdown”, 1973, has lost some of its luster due to ...
Tommy Morrison and AIDS: The Truth about what happened
Tommy Morrison burst onto the professional boxing scene in 1988. Following a ...
BetMGM Promo
Looking Back: George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali
Forty-seven years ago, many said the fight between undisputed heavyweight champion of ...
Esteban de Jesus, Roberto Duran y AIDS (1972-89)
Many of us dream of celebrity sports fame, but only cruel individuals ...
Elmer Ray: The Humble Man of Hastings
"Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for ...
Peter Maher: An Irish Tribute
INTRO: I was seriously ill in 2018 with 7 nights in the ...
Jack Moriarty and 1880’s Canadian Boxing
Sports journalist, Ed Fitkin, worked in print journalism atΒ Toronto’s Daily GlobeΒ would find ...
The Army Boxer Who Knocked-Down Muhammad Ali (1960)
I had wanted to write a boxing story about Junebug Hudson for ...
TGTN Boxing Writers’ Predictions: Sergey Kovalev vs. Saul Alvarez
Whether you hate him or love him, every time Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, ...
TGTN Boxing Writers’ Predictions: Saul Alvarez vs. Daniel Jacobs
While boxing fans have been hooting and hollering about the lack of ...
Sportsbook of the month
PointsBet - Get your Bonus Bet now!
-
Top Brands
Top Bonuses
Stake.us
Stake.us
Stake.us Review
4.6/5
Wow Vegas
Wow Vegas
Wow Vegas Review
4.6/5
Sweeptastic
Sweeptastic
Sweeptastic Review
4.5/5
High5Casino
High5Casino
High5Casino Review
4.5/5
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins Review
4.5/5
Stake.us
Stake.us Bonus
$25 No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Wow Vegas
Wow Vegas Bonus
30 SCs on 1st Purchase + 4.5 SCs FREE
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Sweeptastic
Sweeptastic Bonus
25 SCs extra free on first purchases + 2 SCs FREE to claim
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
High5Casino
High5Casino Bonus
$5 No Deposit + 250 GameCoins + 600 Diamonds
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins Bonus
1,000 ($10) No Deposit Free Coins + 360,000 Gold Coins
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Latest News
NFL Week 14 Power Rankings
Week 13 is in the books, and a ...
Bengals Weekly Show
Welcome to the Bengals Weekly Show, your ultimate ...
Betting Tips
12/07/2023 - 8:15 pm
Acrisure
Tip:
Patriots to Cover
6.00
FanDuel
12/05/2023 - 9:00 pm
Chrysler
Tip:
Indiana to Cover
7.50
FanDuel
12/05/2023 - 9:00 pm
Madison Square Garden
Tip:
North Carolina to Cover
5.50
FanDuel
Our Latest YouTube Videos
Video: Indiana Basketball weekly W/Steve Risley: IU/Harvard Preview and UCONN and Louisville Recaps!
Indiana Basketball weekly W/Steve Risley: IU/Harvard Preview and UCONN and Louisville Recaps!
Video: Indiana *Basketball* Weekly W/Steve Risley: IU/Michigan Recap and IU/Auburn Preview
Indiana *Basketball* Weekly W/Steve Risley: IU/Michigan Recap and IU/Auburn Preview
Video: Indiana Basketball Weekly W/Steve Risley: IU vs Michigan Preview and IU/Maryland Recap
Indiana Basketball Weekly W/Steve Risley: IU vs Michigan Preview and IU/Maryland Recap
Sportsbook of the month
PointsBet - Get your Bonus Bet now!
-
Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week....
Top Online Casinos
Top Casinos Bonuses
Stake.us
Stake.us
Stake.us Review
4.6/5
Wow Vegas
Wow Vegas
Wow Vegas Review
4.6/5
Sweeptastic
Sweeptastic
Sweeptastic Review
4.5/5
High5Casino
High5Casino
High5Casino Review
4.5/5
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins Review
4.5/5
Stake.us
Stake.us Bonus
$25 No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Wow Vegas
Wow Vegas Bonus
30 SCs on 1st Purchase + 4.5 SCs FREE
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
Sweeptastic
Sweeptastic Bonus
25 SCs extra free on first purchases + 2 SCs FREE to claim
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
High5Casino
High5Casino Bonus
$5 No Deposit + 250 GameCoins + 600 Diamonds
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins Bonus
1,000 ($10) No Deposit Free Coins + 360,000 Gold Coins
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Top Betting Sites
Top Betting Bonuses
DraftKings
DraftKings
DraftKings Review
4.6/5
FanDuel
FanDuel
FanDuel Review
4.6/5
BetMGM
BetMGM
BetMGM Review
4.5/5
Bet365
Bet365
Bet365 Review
4.5/5
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com
BetRivers.com Review
4.5/5
DraftKings
DraftKings Bonus
Bet $5 Get $150 Instantly
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
FanDuel
FanDuel Bonus
Bet $5 Get $150 in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.6/5
BetMGM
BetMGM Bonus
up to $1,500 back in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Bet365
Bet365 Bonus
$1000 in Bonus Bets
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Place your first cash bet up to $1,000, and if the bet loses, you will have your wager refunded in Bonus Bets. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
Caesars
Caesars Bonus
100% up to $1000
T&Cs apply
4.5/5
Our Team
Mike GoodpasterAuthor IconJosh SchwartzSamuel TeetsSimon Briffa
+10
Mike Goodpaster
Mike Goodpaster
Chief Editor
Author Icon
Christopher Carlson
Content Writer
Josh Schwartz
Josh Schwartz
Editor
Samuel Teets
Samuel Teets
US Sports Veteran
Simon Briffa
Simon Briffa
Sports Editor
Mark Lewis
Mark Lewis
Editor
Chris Benedict
Chris Benedict
Editor
Author Icon
Daniel Kornhauser
Author
John Raspanti
John Raspanti
Author
Author Icon
Malik Zorrok
Author
Author Icon
Buddy Gibbs
Author
Brian Coburn
Brian Coburn
Author
aukje
aukje
Author
Peter Bonahoom
Peter Bonahoom
Author
berina
berina
Author
Find out what the legends have to say about sports this week....

Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.

This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times.

21+NCPG
Move to Top
Close
Players accepted in the US US Flag
Stake.us Exclusive Bonus
$25 No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Promo Code
Copy
Visit Site
T&Cs apply, 18+
Payment Methods
Bitcoin
Litecoin
Ethereum
Dogecoin
Highlights
  • Exclusive promo code: TGTSOCIAL
  • Play Plinko, Hilo, Crash and more!
  • Get Stake Cash bonuses every day!
Stake Originals
Dice
Crash
Plinko
Mines
×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Visit Site