The grand experiment of banking on the riches promised by the streaming of live sports begins in earnest Saturday night when middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez of Mexico seeks a third weight-class belt in his Madison Square Garden debut. Alvarez’s bout against England’s Rocky Fielding, who wears the World Boxing Assn.’s secondary super-middleweight belt, will be an indicator as to how the new streaming service known as DAZN will fare in its effort to stand as “the Netflix of sports.” DAZN, which signed Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 knockouts) to a guaranteed five-year, 11-fight contract for $365 million earlier this fall, is also aligned with heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua of England as well as with promoters that include Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Bellator MMA.
Canelo Alvarez earns dominating knockout victory over Rocky Fielding
Canelo Alvarez spent all week craning his neck at the taller Rocky Fielding, and as the mind raced to what he thought of that sight, he showed Saturday night what he was thinking:
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
At 28, Alvarez (51-1-2) became the 10th Mexican fighter to win world titles in three weight classes by knocking down Fielding four times en route to a third-round technical knockout stoppage in front of a raucous 20,112 at Madison Square Garden.
He takes the World Boxing Assn. secondary super-middleweight belt away from England’s Fielding (27-2), finishing him 2 minutes, 38 seconds into the third after earlier dropping Fielding in both the first and second rounds with disabling body shots.
Alvarez, in his Garden debut, joins Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Fernando Montiel, Abner Mares, Humberto Soto and Jorge Arce as three-division world champions who claim Mexico as home.
He dropped the five-inch-taller Fielding with a hook to the liver about midway through the first round and spent the second targeting the same section until finding another opening for a repeat hard left that brought Fielding to a knee again.
The showing was a sensational opening to Alvarez’s 11-fight, $365-million deal with the new streaming service DAZN, and in his shortest break between fights since 2011, he provided a highlight-reel showing to punctuate his defining Sept. 15 majority decision middleweight-title victory over Gennady Golovkin.
Alvarez said he’s willing to fight “the best” of those around his multiple weight classes, with middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs likely standing as the front-runner for a May 4 bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Canelo Alvarez knocks out Rocky Fielding in the third round
Third round: Fielding is trying to answer, but Alvarez is just doing work. Alvarez is ripping shots to the body, and Fielding doesn’t look like he will last the round. This is a mismatch. Right hand to the head and Fielding is down again. He is up at the eight-second count. It only takes a couple of seconds for another shot by Alvarez to bring Fielding to his knee, and the ref stops the fight.
Winner: Canelo Alvarez, TKO
Second round: Left hook lands by Alvarez to start the second round. Fielding has not been able to take advantage of his reach and height advantage. Alvarez is up close on Fielding and is landing shots to the body and using his uppercut. Fielding is trying to throw some combinations, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering Alvarez. Another body shot by Alvarez brings Fielding to his knees near the end of the round. This is just a matter of time for Canelo.
L.A. Times scorecard: 10-8 Alvarez. 20-16 Alvarez leads.
First round: Canelo is wearing a brace on his left knee. He is wearing red trunks and Fielding is in white. Alvarez moves Fielding into the ropes and lands some body shots. Nice left hook by Alvarez to a hunched-over Fielding. A body shot by Alvarez and Fielding goes down to a knee. He gets up at the seven count. This fight doesn’t look like it will last long. The strength of Alvarez might be too much for Fielding.
L.A. Times scorecard: 10-8 Canelo
8:40 p.m.: In comes Canelo Alvarez to the tune of “Mexico Lindo y Querido” in his Madison Square Garden debut. Doesn’t seem as lively as when he comes into the ring at T-Mobile Arena.
8:38 p.m.: Rocky Fielding is making his way into the ring to the sounds of “Sweet Caroline.” Not as electrifying as an Anthony Joshua fight in Wembley Stadium, but there are some Brits around.
8:30 p.m: The national anthems are being sung and Michael Buffer is in the ring. The fighters should be announced shortly.
Tevin Farmer defeats Francisco Fonseca to retain belt; main event next
Canelo Alvarez vs. Rocky Fielding still an hour away
With the latest undercard fights going the distance, it looks like the Canelo Alvarez vs. Rocky Fielding fight won’t start until past 8 p.m.
Sadam Ali just defeated Mauricio Herrera in the second of the televised fight card. Ryan Garcia stayed undefeated after an easy knockout win over Braulio Rodriguez to open the DAZN telecast.
Still to come is the Tevin Farmer and Francisco Fonseca fight before Alvarez and Fielding step into the ring.
President of Mexico wishes Canelo Alvarez luck
Canelo Alvarez: ‘I am ready for the challenge’
Canelo Alvarez and DAZN embark on a new path Saturday at Madison Square Garden
The grand experiment of banking on the riches promised by the streaming of live sports begins in earnest Saturday night when middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez of Mexico seeks a third weight-class belt in his Madison Square Garden debut.
Alvarez’s bout against England’s Rocky Fielding, who wears the World Boxing Assn.’s secondary super-middleweight belt, will be an indicator as to how the new streaming service known as DAZN will fare in its effort to stand as “the Netflix of sports.”
DAZN, which signed Alvarez (50-1-2, 34 knockouts) to a guaranteed five-year, 11-fight contract for $365 million this fall, is also aligned with heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua of England as well as with promoters that include Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Bellator MMA.