Going into Saul Alvarez’s 44th fight, it seemed – on paper, at least – that he might have his work cut out against the hard-hitting, no-nonsense Alfredo Angulo. Events unfolded a little more differently, however, on March 8th, 2014.
At the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, it never seemed like Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO) had stepped into the ring with a dangerous opponent. The bout quickly turned into a one-sided beat down as the young Alvarez unloaded punishing combinations on one of boxing’s true balls-to-the-wall warriors. The referee saved Angulo (22-4, 18 KO) from further punishment in the 10th round, at which point the scorecards tallied at 89-82, 88-83, 89-82.
This was a fight were Alvarez showcased world class boxing skills that can’t be ignored by detractors, for sure. (see Alvarez vs Angulo 8th Round Highlights) There is one thing that can’t be ignored, however. Because – without belittling the Mexican star’s victory too much – there did seem to be a big question mark hanging over his opponent.
What the heck was up with Angulo?
The man just wasn’t quite…well, Angulo. Where was the zip in his punch? Where was the speed? Where was the danger? Angulo also looked a little weight drained, which is always concerning as a spectator. Perhaps that contributed to his somewhat hollow performance that night?
A few things did remain consistent with Angulo: 1) he had an iron-forged chin, 2) he had next to no head movement, and 3) he was prepared to keep coming forward till the final bell – or, was knocked into cuckoo land. A do or die attitude is essential in boxing, but for a defensively poor fighter like Angulo, it can rapidly shorten a career and be particularly dangerous.
Perhaps his life and death fights, certainly with James Kirkland and Erislandy Lara, have finally caught up with him? And so you wonder: had this fight taken place a year ago, or even a few months back, would things have played out a little differently? Would we have found out more about Alvarez?
Following the win, Alvarez steers straight into bigger fights which will no doubt continue to draw his thousands upon thousands of Mexican supporters. He may have lost to Floyd Mayweather last September, but the future is still blindingly bright for Golden Boy’s ‘El Canelo’. There are rumors that a possible encounter with Angulo conqueror Erislandy Lara may be to follow – if so, an Alvarez vs Lara matchup would be a surefire win for fans.
As for Angulo, his future plans are unknown – but there will be many in the boxing fandom who will be imploring him not to continue fighting. He’s got a heart as big as his homeland of Mexico, and no one can take that away from him. But if the tools aren’t there, how much is left for this man in one of the world’s hardest sports?
Whatever he chooses, we will respect his decision.
Leo Santa Cruz provided chief support on the night’s card, successfully defending his WBC Junior Featherweight title against Cristian Mijares. The victory came by way of Unanimous Decision, comprised of 120-108, 120-108, 119-109.
What did you think about Alvarez vs Angulo? Was Alfredo Angulo flat? Saul Alvarez too great? Or was the one-sided action simply a product of the two? Also, how would Alvarez square up in a showdown with a pure boxer like Erislandy Lara?
The BoxingBase.com writing staff provide worldwide boxing news, coverage and analysis – they can be contacted via email and social media.
