Crisper Canelo Alvarez outworks Danny Jacobs to unify titles

WBA and WBC world champion Canelo Alvarez overcame a late rally to add the IBF title to his resume by winning a unanimous decision over Danny Jacobs at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Saturday night.

Scores were 115-113 (twice) and 116-112.

Maxboxing scored the bout 116-112 for Alvarez.

Both champions showed respect in the opening stanza. Alvarez (52-1, 35 KOs) jabbed and threw a few hooks. Jacobs (35-3, 29 KOs) fired his left and went to the body. Alvarez, moving forward, connected with a right hand. Both fighters traded bodyshots.

In rounds two and three, Jacobs moved to his left and kept sticking out his jab. Alvarez connected with two stabbing lefts. Seconds later he landed a wicked left hook to the body. Alvarez landed another shot, while Jacobs countered with a swift combination. Alvarez knocked Jacobs back with a hard jab. Jacobs switched to southpaw. He stuck out his right, but ate a good shot to the gut. Alvarez went up and down with his blows. Jacobs landed a classic one-two.

Alvarez did the better work in rounds four and five. He bobbed and weaved, and clubbed Jacobs with a left. The IBF champion was using his jab even more in this round. Alvarez connected with a solid right. Seconds later a left also landed. He dodged numerous blows from Jacobs who looked frustrated as the bell sounded.

Jacobs came out punching in round five, but couldn’t catch Alvarez with anything solid. Alvarez landed a counter hook to the belly. He inched forward and stuck out his jab. Alvarez went back downstairs successfully. Alvarez, the quicker fighter in the first half, stalked and rocked in round six. Jacobs connected with a left hook. Alvarez nailed the body of Jacobs. Jacobs turned to the southpaw and moved away. Alvarez landed an uppercut.

In rounds seven and eight, Alvarez unloaded on Jacobs. A couple of his shot landed. Jacobs staying in the southpaw stance, skipped away. Jacobs connected with a winging left. Alvarez landed a left to the chin—while Jacobs fired back. Alvarez went back downstairs. Jacobs was jabbing but the blow wasn’t bothering Alvarez. Along left knocked Jacobs back. Jacobs opened up, Alvarez lets his hands go. Jacobs nodded and fought back.

Alvarez got off first in round nine. Jacobs was back fighting southpaw. Not sure why since he did pretty well fighting orthodox in the previous round. Alvarez landed a left and right to the head. Jacobs connected with a wicked hook.

In rounds 10 and 11, Jacobs was bouncing on his toes. He landed a left to the side of Alvarez’s face. Alvarez came back with a hard right to the jaw. He connected with two hooks. Jacobs retaliated. He was doing better. Alvarez fought back. Jacobs moved and punched, but Alvarez was landing. Jacobs went to the body. Alvarez connected with a couple of power jabs. Two rights also connected. Alvarez dug and connected with an uppercut.

Heading into the 12^th and final round, Jacobs rally in the last few rounds had made the fight closer. Jacobs came out punching. Alvarez landed a left to the face. Jacobs fought back hard. Alvarez connected with a three-punch combination. Jacobs was grim – while Alvarez was landing. He connected with an uppercut. Jacobs flurried the last 30 seconds of the round. Alvarez fired back as the bell rang.

“We knew he was going to be a difficult fighter, but we did what we had to do," said the victorious Alvarez. "We did our job."