My Look Back at Mayweather vs. Canelo
Alright, so I decided to spend some time digging into that Mayweather versus Canelo fight again. You know, the big one from 2013. Didn’t just watch highlights, I sat down and went through the whole thing properly, like a practice session to really see what went down.
I pulled up the fight recording. Got comfortable. Right away, watching it fresh, you could just see Mayweather was operating on a different level that night. It wasn’t about brute force; it was technique.
What I Noticed Round by Round
- Early rounds: Canelo came out strong, trying to impose his size and power. He was the younger guy, hungry. But Mayweather? Slippery. Defense was tight.
- Middle rounds: This is where I really saw Mayweather take control. He wasn’t hurting Canelo badly, but he was just out-landing him, making him miss. Constantly controlling the distance.
- Later rounds: Canelo kept trying, pushing forward, but Mayweather looked like he had an answer for everything. The experience gap felt pretty wide as the fight went on. Canelo was just 23 back then, facing a master.
I was paying close attention to the flow. It wasn’t the most explosive fight, maybe, but it was a masterclass in defensive boxing and ring generalship from Floyd. He dictated where the fight happened, how it happened. He was just sharper, quicker with the counters.
The Decision and My Final Thoughts
Finished all 12 rounds. Then came the scorecards. I remembered it being a Mayweather win, obviously. They announced it as a majority decision. Two judges saw it clearly for Mayweather, which matched what I was seeing during my re-watch.
But here’s the kicker I recalled – one judge, C.J. Ross, scored it a draw. A 114-114 card. Even watching it back now, knowing the outcome, that score just feels off. Based on my viewing, Mayweather clearly controlled the action and landed the cleaner shots throughout. It didn’t look like a draw to me, not even close.
The other two scores, 116-112 and 117-111 for Mayweather, seemed much more realistic based on the fight I just broke down. CompuBox numbers I saw later backed this up, showing Mayweather landed way more.
So, my practice takeaway? It was a classic case of veteran skill and experience overcoming youth and power. Canelo was already a star, but he just wasn’t ready for that specific puzzle Mayweather presented back then. Floyd was too slick, too smart in the ring that night. Watching it again really hammered home how effective his style was against a young, powerful opponent. That’s my log on that session.
