By Mark Vester

Honda Center, Anaheim, California - Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (36-0-1, 26KOs) won a twelve round unanimous decision over Matthew "Magic" Hatton (41-5-2, 16KOs) to capture the vacant WBC junior middleweight title. The score was 119-108 across the board. Alvarez was too big, too strong.

Hatton came out winging punches, but Alvarez was pushing him back with counters. In the second, Alvarez was still pushing him back with hard shots to the head and body. Hatton landed a few good punches but he was being overpowered. Hatton's nose was busted open from a counter hook. Alvarez showed no respect for Hatton's power in the fourth. Alvarez barely walked away from Hatton's punches, took them, and kept coming. In the fourth, Hatton took a beating to the head and body. He suffered a cut above his left eye.

In the seventh, Hatton took another beating but he stood his ground at times at traded with the much larger and stronger Alvarez. Alvarez lost a point in the round for hitting on the break. Alvarez took off most of the ninth round. He came back with a late rally in the round. Alvarez took off some steam in the championship rounds but he still did a lot of damage and put plenty of hurt on Hatton.