Round 1: Both fighters go to the center of the ring quickly. Both seem focused. No hesitation or apprehension. Cintron throwing the majority of the punches. None are landing. He’s measuring the distance and gauging Alvarez’s reactions. Alvarez staring to react. Combination and shots to the body by Alvarez. Combo by Alvarez. Left and right connect to Cintron’s head. [De la Hoya is in the front row looking like an 80s Mexican drug dealer straight out of Miami vice. ]. Cintron misses a good opportunity for a counter as Alvarez throws a punch and lets down his guard. Alvarez (10-9)
Round 2: Alvarez lands a left to Cintron’s head. [RJJ talking some nonsense and distracting me from a good exchange.] Cintron to the body. Left upper cut by Alvarez and then a right to the body. Left jab by Cintron. Alvarez answers with a combination. Two left jabs by Cintron. [These left jabs are not going to cut it.] Alvarez (20-18)
Round 3: Alvarez counters wild and misses. Both fighters swing wild and miss. Left jab by Alvarez. Left jab by Cintron. Combination by Alvarez connects to Cintron’s face. Left uppercut by Alvarez. Alvarez missing several punches. Both fighters have great rhythm. They both also have great head movement. Right to Alvarez’s head. The fighters trade left jabs as the bell sounds. Alvarez (30-27)
Round 4: Right uppercut by Cintron. Left to Cintron’s body. Jab by Cintron. Fighters are trading jabs. Now trading upper cuts. Trading jabs. The boxers are mirroring each other. Alvarez to the body. Great left hook to Cintron’s head. Left jab by Cintron. Three rights to Cintron’s head. Cintron goes down and gets up. Cintron can’t put up his gloves after the standing eight so the ref does it for him. Alvarez attacks. Cintron slips. Body shot by Cintron. Left hook to Cintron. Cintron is hurt at the bell. Sits on the ropes. There is a cut on the bridge of Cintron’s nose. Alvarez (40-35)
Round 5: Cintron legs look stiff. Not good. Hook combination by Cintron, but he’s wobbly and swinging wild. Left by Alvarez. Right by Alvarez. Hard right by Cintron to Alvarez’s head. Right hook by Alvarez. Left jabs by Cintron. Light, not really connecting. Left hook by Alvarez. Then a combination. Cintron answers. Alvarez can take a punch. I am seriously worried about Cintron. Combination by Alvarez. And the ref stops the fight. TKO for Alvarez
Would everyone please stop asking for Mayweather? Unless you’re ready to take the money and retire, there are other, better fighters. Stop indulging that ignorant a-hole and pissing off true boxing fans. It’s like any boxer within two weight classes of Mayweather has Tourettes and can only say “Mayweather.” Ugh.
Cintron’s descent is a little sad. He participated in one of the greatest nights of boxing for me: July 14, 2007: Paul Williams whooping on Margarito; Cintron versus Matthysse; Gatti’s last fight (I teared up); and I think it may have been Amir Khan’s HBO debut. It was such a beautiful night of boxing. I feel bad about Paul Williams’ career, too, but I’ll save that for another article.
Now, as to whom Alvarez SHOULD (could) fight next . . . Sergio Martinez? Paul Willams? The winner of the Cotto-Margarito fight? Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr.? Yes, some of those match ups would require someone to change their weight class, and it would be a rematch with Cotto, but so what? Do it. I want to see a good (big name) fight (that doesn’t include Mayweather).
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