LAS VEGAS — Mexico’s Saul Canelo Alvarez might become boxing’s pound-for-pound champion someday — especially if he applies the lessons he learned in the ring Saturday night against Floyd Mayweather.
Though he was 13 years younger and 15 pounds heavier by the opening bell, Alvarez was no match for the skill and poise of Mayweather, who won a majority decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The 36-year-old Mayweather remained unbeaten (45-0, 26 KOs) and captured the WBC and WBA super welterweight titles in handing Alvarez his first loss (42-1-1, 30 KOs). Somehow judge C.J. Ross saw a 114-114 draw. But judges Dave Moretti (116-112) and Craig Metcalfe (117-111) favored Mayweather. The Post scored it 118-110 for Mayweather.
“I took my time and got the job done,” Mayweather said. “Canelo is a great champion. But my dad [Floyd Mayweather Sr.] had a great game plan. I got the job done. It’s about winning.”
The fight could be the richest in boxing history once all revenue streams are counted. The $20 million gate already surpassed the $18.46 million generated for Mayweather’s fight with Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. With the pay-per-view revenue and income from closed circuit and movie theaters, Mayweather-Canelo could generate close to $200 million.
Mayweather’s share was a record $41.5 million, a purse he was expected to earn with more effort than in his previous bouts. Alvarez figured to be the biggest threat to Mayweather’s unbeaten record since De La Hoya, but couldn’t hurt the champion.
“I couldn’t catch him,” Alvarez said. “He’s every elusive. He’s a great fighter.”
At age 23, Alvarez had displayed the skills and punching power to contend with the pound-for-pound champion. In fact, many were surprised when the bout was signed last July as the second fight of a six-fight deal Mayweather signed with Showtime Sports. But Mayweather accepted the challenge to fight at a catch-weight of 152 pounds.
Alvarez made the weight on Friday, but had rehydrated to 165 pounds overnight. Mayweather didn’t gain much more than the 150½ pounds he weighed on Friday. Clearly, the bigger fighter, Alvarez’s task was to find a way to get to penetrate Mayweather’s tight defense and get to his body.
Mayweather entered a 2 ½-1 favorite to the bookmakers, but Alvarez was the clear favorite of the sellout crowd cheering, “Ca-ne-lo…Ca-ne-lo.”
Neither fighter did much early. Mayweather measured Alvarez with his jab in the first round, working occasionally to the body. Alvarez seemed tight and hesitant as if he were thinking more than reacting.
Alvarez became more aggressive in the third round, trying to let his fists go even if it meant eating a jab. It got chippy in the fourth round with Alvarez hitting Mayweather on the break after Mayweather tried to twist his neck on the clinch.
By the fifth round, Mayweather was starting to use his hand speed to land his jab and combinations with more frequency. Alvarez began to look frustrated as a small mouse formed under his left eye. He gave Mayweather a shoulder off a break in the sixth round, drawing a stern warning from referee Kenny Bayless.
Alvarez became a stationary target in the seventh, playing possum at times hoping to lure Mayweather into a big punch. Though Mayweather was dominating the fight, Alvarez still was dangerous. He fired looping hooks, hoping to find Mayweather’s chin, only to be blocked by a glove or shoulder.
By the time the ninth round ended, it was starting to look like all the other Mayweather bouts — with him in total control and his opponent desperate and frustrated.
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Danny Garcia of Philadelphia headlined the undercard by retaining his WBC/WBA super lightweight titles with a unanimous decision over Lucas Matthysse of Argentina. Matthysse’s right eye swelled shut in the seventh round and Garcia took advantage by connecting with enough jabs and combinations to control the bout. Garcia (27-0, 16 KOs) was never hurt though the power-punching Matthysse (34-3, 32 KOs) landed several solid punches.
“I had one eye for only half of the fight, but that’s no excuse,” Matthysse said.
Elsewhere on the undercard, it was a tough night for Mayweather Promotions. Ishe Smith (25-6, 11 KOs) of Las Vegas lost his IBF junior middleweight title on a split decision to Carlos Molina (22-5-2, six KOs) of Mexico, and Ashley Theophane (33-6-1, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas lost a 10-round split decision to Pablo Cesar Cano (27-3-1, 20 KOs) of Mexico in a battle of welterweights.