Gennady Golovkin Favored in Cinco De Mayo Rematch with Canelo Alvarez

As expected, Gennady "GGG" Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) have signed off on a Cinco De Mayo rematch of their much-disputed draw back on Sept. 16 in Las Vegas.

Golovkin is listed as a -180 favorite at the Westgate with Canelo coming back as a +150 underdog. Those odds are just about in line with the openers for their first fight, which had GGG listed in the -165/-180 neighborhood depending on where you did your shopping. As fight night got closer, so did the odds, with GGG listed around -155 for much of the final two weeks before the bout. On the day of the fight it was reported that most of the late money came in on the Kazakh, and Golovkin reportedly closed at -200. As soon as the last fight was ruled a draw, oddsmakers hung prices for a rematch and made GGG a -165 favorite (Bovada).

The general consensus on that late summer night was that Golovkin had come out on top of a very close bout, but a draw was an acceptable decision. (Although the oddsmakers certainly thought Golovkin won given that they priced him -500 on the live line as the fight drew to an end.) What wasn't kosher with the fans was how one particular judge, Adalaide Byrd, scored the fight overwhelmingly in the Mexican counterpuncher's favor. She had Canelo winning 118-110, which when compared with Dave Moretti's 115-113 card in favor of Triple-G and Don Trella's 114-114 card, seemed a bit, well, fishy.

There were plenty of boxing fans who speculated before the fight that the contest wouldn't be on the level and that the cards would be skewed for Canelo given his cash cow status with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. It's hard to say that the draw was an inexplicable result, but Byrd's 118-110 card didn't sit right with anyone, and she has since been benched by the Nevada State Athletic Committee.

There has been no word yet on where the fight will take place, but Las Vegas is the frontrunner to land the prize fight. Other possible locations are AT&T Stadium in Texas or Madison Square Garden in New York City.

No matter where the fight will be held, Canelo will once again have the support of the crowd. Cinco De Mayo is one of the biggest nights on the boxing calendar, and his army of Mexican fans will be in full voice.

We will have much more on this bout as we get closer, but for now let's just hope that the rematch is on the level.

Photo: Joe Comporeale, USA Today Sports