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    GGG's KO power will spell the difference vs Canelo

    Golovkin's punching power gives him the edge over Canelo Alvarez in grudge match
    Sep 15, 2018
    PHOTO: AP
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    LAS VEGAS - Outside the T-Mobile Arena on Friday afternoon, the desert heat climbed to over 100 degrees. Inside, hell almost broke loose when the weigh-in for the GGG vs Canelo Alvarez rematch took a contentious turn.

    After both pugs easily made weight, Alvarez charged at GGG, planting his face next to his bitter rival's. Amid the roar of his loyal fans, many of whom were already happily nourished by alcohol, the red-headed Mexican shadow-boxed with gusto before boldly promising a knockout win.

    The undefeated Kazakh, who seeks to accomplish a historic 21st successful title defense in the 160-pound division, did not flinch. GGG showed no flair, but he shot back an empty stare that seemed to come from a really, really dark place.

    This much-awaited sequel is already sold-out according to Forbes.com. poised to make more than the $27 million in ticket sales that the first bout generated. So the aborted weigh-in brawl was no gimmick to drum up sales or fish for pay-per-view buys.

    GGG and Canelo hate each other for real. Like Duterte and Trillanes.

    The burning animosity, plus the talent and firepower on both sides, make this rematch a potential classic that could overshadow the brutal 1985 middleweight showdown between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns.

    Canelo's weigh-in bravado spurred a deluge of bets in his corner, improving his underdog odds from a +135 to a +125. Golovkin remains a firm favorite, but his odds have dwindled to a -145 from a previous high of -175.

    So, who wins?

    I pick GGG. I like the jackhammer jabs he use to detonate his devastating bombs. With 34 stoppages in 38 wins, he collects knockouts the way women accumulate shoes.

    GGG is old, yes, but he is far from being burned out at 36. Since turning pro last May 2006, Golovkin has fought in only 184 total rounds, or a mere 15.3 rounds a year for 12 years.

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    Although eight years younger at 28, Canelo (49-1-2, 34 KOs) actually has a heavier workload with 364 total rounds fought or a stunning 30.3 rounds a year since debuting in October 2005.

    Canelo's chance of an upset hinges heavily on a dedicated body attack and the prayer that a relentless assault will somehow make Golovkin fade in the homestretch and get careless.

    Youth is an asset, so are the tools of height and reach, but in the savagery that is boxing, a murderous KO power is the greatest equalizer.

    Golovkin has an excellent 87 percent knockout rate while Canelo only has a slightly above average 68 percent clip. The odds of GGG scoring a KO is a +275 while Canelo's is a steep +600.

    His hunger, quickness, and ferocity makes Alvarez a sexy bet. But the calculating, deep thinking stalker in Golovkin is the wise money bet.

    MUCHO DINERO. Win or lose both fighters are assured millions. Canelo's purse is $5 million while GGG pockets $4 million. If pay-per-view sales are rich, like the 1.3 million buys in the first bout, both could make at least ten times more, according to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports.

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    GGG vs Canelo 1 sold an average of $1,559 per ticket, third highest in history.

    Pacquiao versus Mayweather was the most profitable bout ever, raking in $72 million from 16,219 tickets sold, which comes to an average of $4,439 a ticket. In close second is the Mayweather-McGregor mismatch, which made $55 million from 13,094 tickets sold, or an average of $4,200 a ticket.

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    PHOTO: AP
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