Alvarez beats Chavez Jr., will face Golovkin next

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez dominated a grudge match against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision in a fight that left no doubt who the top active Mexican boxer is.

Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) used a punishing jab to take control early in the 12-round matchup of former middleweight champions at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Chavez (50-3-1, 32 KOs), four inches taller than Alvarez, started bleeding from the nose in the third round. His left eye swelled in the sixth and started to close a round later.

Alvarez, a 4-1 favorite, was much quicker, against the largest fighter he’s faced, and won every round on all three judges’ cards.

Chavez, son of iconic Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., was trying to revitalize a career derailed by positive drug tests, weight issues and lax training. But he proved no match in the bout fought at a catch weight of 164½ pounds.

Immediately after the bout, Alvarez, whose loss was to Floyd Mayweather Jr., announced he will next face middleweight champion Gennady

Golovkin in September. Golovkin joined Alvarez in the ring post-fight for the announcement.

Parker defends WBO title: Joseph Parker won his first defense of the WBO heavyweight title on points over replacement challenger Razvan Cojanu before a home crowd in Auckland, New Zealand.

Parker (23-0, 18 KOs) won comfortably on all three cards. He is set to fight next overseas, with WBA and IBF champion Anthony Joshua a potential opponent.