Canelo Alvarez returned with a tremendous stoppage over Billy Joe Saunders in a fight that was way more PPV-worthy than the Yildrim fight. The co-main event set the tone for the night’s feature, but the rest of the card was lacking.
Canelo’s speed, power, and defense were the big differences in the fight, but Saunders put up a fight but quit on his stool before he could take any more damage after taking a savage beating in the eighth round.
The co-main event delivered the setup for the main event. Elwin Soto and Katsunari Takayama went to war for nine rounds. Takayama out-landed Soto but Soto landed the harder punches and hurt the Japanese fighter numerous times. Soto got the TKO victory, but the fight should have continued.
The fight card could have had just this fight and the main event and fans at home would have been happy.
Keiron Conway and Souleymane Cissokho really stunk out the joint. Cissokho fought great and Conway had no answer for his opponent except an uppercut in the ninth round. Cissokho won a split decision but there was a highly questionable scorecard in favor of Conway. There must have been a blind judge working that fight.
Frank Sanchez and Nagy Aguilera lacked the action we expect for a heavyweight fight. Sanchez controlled 99% of the fight and ended up with a unanimous decision after Aguilera faked a foul and flopped around like a fish out of water.
Fight run down’s to below.
Saul Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders Round 1: A tense feeling out round for both fighters. Saunders working the jab but Canelo landing hard shots to the body.
Round 2: Saunders able to work the jab well but Canelo’s speed and power are the difference maker this round. Canelo sticks with the bodywork and lands the uppercut a few times to the body. Saunders falls for Canelo’s faints early on in the fight.
Round 3: Canelo asserting himself more this round landing the better shots. Saunders falling for pretty much every faint now and not doing much.
Round 4: Saunders lands a nice flurry early on in the round. Canelo searching for that uppercut and finally gets it almost knocking the mouthpiece out of Saunders’s mouth.
Round 5: Saunders took this round with some solid work. Double jab in the beginning then landing two lefts later in the round. Canelo took the shots well but lost the round.
Round 6: Very good round for both fighters. Canelo controlled the first half of the round but Saunders came back with solid counters. Canelo was able to land the better shots in the second of the round to finish strong.
Round 7: Canelo lands a hard body shot early in and Saunders takes a deep breath. Canelo not going after the body as much but still able to land.
Round 8: Canelo dominated this round. He damaged Saunders’s eye badly with counters and uppercuts. Saunders was hurt badly and was on the defensive. The round ends and Saunders corner stopped the fight in-between rounds 8 and 9.
Result: TKO victory for Canelo at the end of round eight.
Elwin Soto vs Katsunari Takayama
Round 1: Takayama comes out quick and lands numerous shots against Soto but all it took was one overhand right from Soto to wobble the Japanese fighter. Soto would go on to rock Takayama a few more times and it seems already it’s only a matter of time until this one will be over.
Round 2: Soto rocks Takayama with a counter right early on. Soto has truly found a home for the overhand right in this round and Takayama’s brain is getting rattled with each one that connects.
Round 3: Takayama putting up a good effort in the first minute but they have no effect on Soto. Soto swinging for the fences in this round. Takayama lands a left uppercut in the last minute but Soto lands a hard left hook up against the ropes in the final fifteen seconds.
Round 4: Soto really taking his time this round. Meanwhile, Takayama is scoring. When Soto does open up, it’s hard shots that shake Takayama.
Round 5: This round has mostly been fought in a phone booth. Takayama is landing the majority of the punches but Soto lands the harder shots.
Round 6: Takayama landing early on and begins to showboat. Soto takes care of that with combinations that stagger Takayama numerous times in the second half of the round.
Round 7: Takayama gets a little dirty and shoves Soto to the ropes. Soto answers back with hard right hands but it’s far and few in-between.
Round 8: Soto lands a beautiful counter two punch combo that snaps Takayama’s head back. Takayama goes on the attack but gets countered with a check left hook right at the bell
Round 9: This heat was on in this round. Both fighters had great exchanges with Soto landing numerous unanswered shots but as Takayama landed a body shot and stepped back to reassess the referee prematurely stops the fight with sixteen seconds left in the round.
Result: TKO victory for Soto 2:45 of Round 9.
Kieron Conway vs Souleymane Cissokho
Round 1: Decent pace in a feeling out round. Cissokho finding a place for his jab to the body throughout the round.
Round 2: Cissokho controlled the pace in the second round. The jab continues to work for him. Midway through the round, Conway landed a chopping right hand that landed on Cissokho’s head.
Round 3: Cissokho lands some nice head hits from close range this round but misses with a big right hand. Conway’s nose may be busted as there seems to be blood leaking from somewhere.
Round 4: Slow round. Conway applying pressure by stalking Cissokho but not much activity from either fighter.
Round 5: Conway really bothered by Cissokho’s movement. He’s trying a bit more but not finding much success.
Round 6: Conway keeps moving into range for Cissokho’s right hand. Cissokho sticking and moving well and lands a nice flurry at the last minute.
Round 7: The crowd has begun to get restless due to the lack of action. In the second minute of the round, there are a couple of exchanges but nothing significant.
Round 8: Cissokho lands the only meaningful punch this round. A straight right behind the jab.
Round 9: Conway drops Cissokho after missing one uppercut then landing the second to the head. Conway eases off after the first minute and Cissokho slowly gets himself back in his groove.
Round 10: Cissokho sticking and moving this round. Finally lands his uppercut. Conway rocked with a big right hand and really has no answer for everything coming his way.
Result: Scorecards 97-92 Conway (What the fuck?), 96-93 Cissokho, 95-94 Cissokho. Cissokho wins via split decision.
Frank Sanchez vs Nagy Aguilera
ROUND 1: Sanchez lands a hard right early on and ends up controlling the pace in the opening round.
ROUND 2: Aguilera steps on the gas a little more this round but is not very effective. Sanchez counters at times but has missed with some wide shots. Sanchez scores a right hand at the end of the round.
Round 3: Things pick up when Sanchez lands a right that causes Aguilera to lose focus and complain to the referee. Sanchez goes on the attack while Aguilera complains, then the two get into a heated exchange.
Round 4: Sanchez is really finding a home for the right hook around the guard of Aguilera. Sanchez lands a nice two-punch combo late in the round that backs up Aguilera.
Round 5: Not much going on in this round. The output has died down a little but Sanchez finishes off the round with a nice flurry against the ropes.
Round 6: Aguilera goes down after a shot lands on the shoulder that brushes him on the back of the head. Aguilera with the Oscar for best actor right now looking for an easy way out.
Result: Stoppage at 1:42 of round 6 60-54 x 3 unanimous decision for Sanchez.
