Watch Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Ryan Rhodes Full Replay

"Canelo" Alvarez Stops Rhodes In 12th After One-Sided Scrap There is a tendency for keyboard tappers to go overboard in looking for deficencies in those next big things, the perhaps overhyped phenoms who are presented to us as saviors in shorts. I'm not going to go that route with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. Alvarez stayed calm, cool and on message as he whacked Rhodes with combos for 11 plus rounds, and closed the show in the 12th round of a most one sided affair.

Canelo landed six shots, a couple of them sledgehammers to the body, knocked Rhodes back and then kept on firing as Rhodes' corner hurled in the towel as the ref stepped in. That said, I won't place myself in the "Canelo is God" camp, because Canelo isn't. Rhodes did his legacy no favors. Alvarez went 218-590 while Rhodes was 90-343 on the night, stats wise. Canelo, thru a translator, said after that he sensed his body shots were working. If I have to fight the devil, I will." Alvarez (age 20, a month shy of turning 21; 36-0-1 with 26 K0s; from Guadalajara) was 153 1/4 pounds, while Rhodes (age 34; 45-4 with 31 KOs entering; from England) weighed 152 1/2 in this fight for Canelo's WBC junior middleweight crown.

Rhodes said after he underestimated Canelo's power, and that the body attack got to him. Bob Papa called the action, along with Roy Jones, for HBO.

Rhodes switched to lefty at the end of the first, trying to be tricky. Trainer Eddie Reynoso told Canelo to "relax" after the frame.

In the second, Jones made a smart point, lauding Canelo for not being overeager in his hometown. Rhodes again went righty, then lefty. Canelo looked relaxed and on message.

In the third, Rhodes looked to be busier with the jab. The damage came from a right hand that landed behind the head. In the seventh, the left hook worked, the jab worked, the right cross, the same: Canelo was the king of combos and Rhodes' face looked a bit more worn. In the eighth, Rhodes slowed more. Canelo's body work hurt me, in Brooklyn.

In round nine, Rhodes hung tough, we will say that for him.

Watch Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Ryan Rhodes Live Online

Mexico's Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will make the first defense of his World Boxing Council super-welterweight title Saturday on HBO, returning home to Guadalajara to fight veteran English fighterRyan Rhodes (45-4, 31 knockouts).

Alvarez, 20, won the belt in March, dominating another Brit, Matthew Hatton, at Honda Center, and his camp informed his promoter about the importance of starting the fighter's title defenses back in Canelo's home country.

The television card also includes a compelling super-featherweight fight between unbeaten Adrien Broner (20-0, 16 KOs) of Cincinnati and Minnesota's Jason Litzau (28-2, 21 KOs).

Alvarez's decision to fight at home has exceeded expectations in terms of attendance, Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez said. Gomez said there are plans to have Alvarez in a co-main event fight on the Sept. 17 card with theFloyd Mayweather Jr.-Victor Ortiz welterweight title fight, which is most likely to be staged at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

"That's the idea, but Rhodes is a tough fight, a legitimate super-welterweight and Canelo's first real test," Gomez said. WBC jr. middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (36-0-1, 26 KO) will defend his newly-won title against the WBC’s number 1 contender, Ryan Rhodes (45-4, 31 KO). Having already beaten Jose Cotto, Lovemore N’Dou, and former lineal welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir, Rhodes presents the toughest test of Alvarez’s young career. In his title winning effort in March, Alvarez took a clear, lopsided unanimous decision victory over welterweight European titlist, Matthew Hatton.

Since moving down to jr. middleweight, Rhodes has won 6 straight, followed by December’s TKO win over Rocky Junior as a middleweight.

Alvarez has great power, but also Rhodes has enough power to stop the young champion.