Boxing | Canelo defeats Golvokin to settle trilogy

Saul "Canelo" Álvarez has beaten Gennady Golovkin by unanimous decision in Las Vegas to settle their bitter trilogy.

The judges scored the super-middleweight bout 116-112, 115-113, 115-133 in Álvarez' favour, earning the Mexican his second victory over "GGG".

"Canelo" dominated the opening seven rounds against his 40-year-old opponent at the T Mobile Arena, with Golovkin putting pressure on the younger man in the final four rounds.

Middleweight great Golovkin jumped up to 168lbs to face his foe and challenge for Álvarez' WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles.

However, the Kazakh looked his age from the opening bell, with his 32-year-old enemy looking faster and sharper in their third meeting.

After a cagey first round, Álvarez pushed "GGG" back, catching his opponent with some rapid combinations and well-timed jabs.

The Mexican targeted Golovkin's head, and the ferocious Kazakh seemed uncharacteristically reluctant to let his own hands go.

Golovkin's face looked red and swollen by the middle of the fight, but the former Olympic gold medallist dug deep in the championship rounds.

Surely knowing nothing but a knockout would rescue victory, "Triple G" began to let his hands go, and backed Álvarez up against the ropes with a powerful flurry. Suddenly, it was the younger man who looked fatigued under the Vegas lights.

But "Canelo" had the quality to keep Golovkin at bay with some crisp counters and dangerous uppercuts as the 40-year-old stalked forward menacingly.

"GGG" unleashed a flurry of hooks and jabs in the 11th, but the knockout he needed never looked likely as Álvarez comfortably saw out the last six minutes.

The two fighters embraced at the final bell, and each praised the other after the judges' inevitable verdicts were announced.

"He's strong, he's a great fighter," "Canelo" said. "For me, I'm just glad to share the ring with him. We give the fans three really good fights. I'm glad to be involved in that kind of fight."

It was a welcome return to winning ways for "Canelo", who suffered only his second professional defeat to Dmitry Bivol in May.

Golovkin, who can consider himself more than unlucky to come away from an epic trilogy without any wins to his name - has vowed to fight on.

"I want to shake hands with Canelo and congratulate his whole team," he said, admitting that the better fighter won on the night.

"I'll come back, I'm still a champion."

The records will state that "Canelo" won two of the three fights and that the other was a draw, but that does not tell the full story.