Alvarez, Golovkin hope judges ‘more competent’ than last time

LAS VEGAS — Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez waged a pretty good fight when they met for the first time a year ago. There were swings in momentum, there were brutal exchanges and the winner was in doubt when the final bell rang. Then Adalaide Byrd ruined it with a scorecard that made no sense.

She saw Alvarez winning 118-110, which along with a 115-113 score for Golovkin by Dave Moretti and a 114-114 draw from Don Trella, created a split draw. A draw was rea- sonable, but Byrd’s wide margin left a bitter taste the Nevada Athletic Commission will try to avoid in Saturday’s HBO pay-per-view rematch at T-Mobile Arena.

Las Vegas-based Moretti returns and will be joined Steve Weisfeld from New Jersey and Glenn Feldman from Connecticut. The referee will be Benjy Esteves Jr., of New Jersey, who gets his first major exposure in a pay-per-view headliner in Las Vegas.

Kenny Bayless refereed the first bout, and didn’t have to work much as Alvarez and Golovkin fought mostly from a distance and did min- imal clinching. Esteves, a member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, is experienced enough to adjust to the flow of the fight. He’ll insert himself if things get dirty. Otherwise, he’ll let the fighters fight.

“They got one of the best in the world out there coming from New Jersey where the best in the world reside,” Larry Hazzard, commissioner of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, said of Esteves. “There won’t be anything unusual as far as the referee is concerned and he deserves the opportunity.”

Alvarez isn’t thrilled Moretti has returned, but otherwise both camps seem satisfied with the list of officials.

“How is that you want to change everything but leave the judge that scored you the fight,” Alvarez said. “I’ve never been one to worry about the judges or care to see who’s doing the scoring. I believe in the laws and have confidence in the commission.”

Weisfeld and Feldman are known for their consistency and considered among the elite judges in the sport.

“Hopefully, the judges will be as fair as possible,” said Golovkin’s trainer, Abel Sanchez. “I think we have a great panel of judges this time.”

The Golovkin camp should like the choices. Moretti, one of the most respected judges in the sport, likes volume punchers who try to make the fight. That’s what Golovkin did a year ago. Weisfeld favors effective aggression. He has scored three previous Golovkin bouts, but is judging Alvarez for the first time. Feldman has worked three previous Golovkin fights that ended in knockouts and two bouts involving Alvarez.

“We can only hope that the judges will be more fair, more adequate and more competent than the last time,” Golovkin said.