Review by Dan Rafael
Rafael's remarks: One week after the ultra-disappointing Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao showdown failed to deliver -- especially given the record $100 cost of the pay-per-view (not to mention the outrageously priced tickets) -- Alvarez and Kirkland thrilled boxing fans with their sensational shootout on regular HBO with many tickets costing $10 and $25. The fight was a bargain for the extreme entertainment it produced thanks to two willing warriors. It was like the Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns middleweight championship fight in 1985 as Alvarez, the 24-year-old Mexican superstar, and free-swinging brawler Kirkland, a 31-year-old southpaw from Austin, Texas, charged at each other from the opening bell and went to war as the 31,588 in attendance for the first fight card in Minute Maid Park history cheered wildly for Alvarez, the overwhelming favorite.
Alvarez, a former unified junior middleweight titlist, whose lone defeat came by decision to Mayweather in 2013, the richest fight in boxing history until Mayweather-Pacquiao shattered the record, survived some rocky moments in the early going. Kirkland pinned him in the corner and let his hands fly in the first minute of the fight. But Alvarez, whose defense is underrated, picked off a lot of the shots with his gloves and arms, rolled with the shots and nailed Kirkland with a straight right hand to drop him for the first of three times. Kirkland showed enormous heart to make it out of the first round.
The action in the second round picked up where the first left off with the fighters looking for knockouts. But Alvarez, smarter, quicker and more poised, staggered Kirkland with a right hand early in the round, and the battle raged on. They stood toe to toe and traded heavy shots. Alvarez rocked Kirkland, whose punch resistance was not nearly as good as Alvarez's. With the crowd going wild, Alvarez, who had showed off a diverse arsenal of body punching, right hands and left hooks, dropped Kirkland for the second time with a right uppercut in the third round. Moments later, the fight was over as Alvarez creamed Kirkland with a right hand he never saw coming. The shot nearly spun Kirkland around and sent him sprawling to the canvas on his back as referee Jon Schorle waved off the fight at 2 minutes, 19 seconds. This was not only a knockout of the year contender but also a fight of the year contender. Just a great night for boxing fans who crave action.
According to CompuBox punch statistics, Alvarez landed 87 of 150 punches, an absurdly high 58 percent against defensively deficient Kirkland, and Kirkland connected on 42 of 197 blows (21 percent). Alvarez landed 60 percent of his power shots (79 of 132).
Kirkland, coming off a 17-month layoff, was working with new trainers Rick Morones and Bay Bay McClinton for the first time and likely the last time. Kirkland is undefeated with Ann Wolfe in his corner and now 0-2 without her. After the fight, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, the rap star and Kirkland's promoter, said he was going to make sure Kirkland and Wolfe were reunited for his next fight.
Alvarez is next expected to move on to a shot at middleweight world champion Miguel Cotto this fall on HBO PPV in perhaps boxing's biggest fight outside of a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch. Their camps have a deal in place, but Cotto (39-4, 32 KOs) has a dangerous first defense ahead of him against Australia's Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KOs), a former titleholder, on June 6 at the Barclays Center in New York City. If Cotto-Alvarez comes off, it figures to be a memorable and exciting fight between two of the best fighters in boxing, both of whom deliver excitement on a regular basis.
