One of the most endearing parts of Golovkin's legacy was that nobody fought him harder than he did.
In the ninth round on Saturday night, Golovkin looked like he was 40 years old. He threw punches without hesitation and brought the crowd to their feet. It sparked memories of what made the first two fights between Golovkin and Alvarez so special.
The action and suspense of the previous fights were missing from the third one. Even after a unanimous decision loss, Golovkin was able to keep a key part of his legacy alive.
One of the highlights of Golovkin's career was establishing a rivalry that will go down as one of the best in boxing's history.
Johnathon Banks said that his client's legacy was solidified. He doesn't have anything to prove. The man did more than one thing.
There was a no-lose situation going into the fight. One of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world was defeated by GGG. The fight that was declared a split draw in September of last year was seen as a victory by many. It was not as controversial as the previous year's split decision win, but it was disputed again.
GGG signed a deal with the company which should have streamlined a third fight after he signed a contract with the company.
After a win over Steve Rolls in June, Golovkin admitted that he wanted a third fight against the other boxer.
Golovkin said in his postfight interview that everyone knew. I'm ready for the fight. Bring him. Asking him is the best way to do it. I'm prepared. Let him know if you want a big drama show.
Golovkin was supposed to wait instead. And kept waiting. And kept waiting.
It took the same amount of time for the two fights to be announced. The Nov. 19 clash between Crawford and Spence has been agreed to by the two boxers.
It was too much for them to face each other again. Golovkin was willing to move up in weight to face his rival again.
"This is something they want, they've been calling for a long time," Markowski said. We are happy to have put it together.
The significance of what happened Saturday can be seen in the decision by Alvarez to face Golovkin again. Since defeating Golovkin, Alvarez has become obsessed with taking fights that will add to his legacy and make him one of the sport's all-time great fighters.
The first Mexican to hold that distinction in the four-belt era was Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. A bold decision that resulted in the second official loss of Alvarez's career was when he challenged Dimtry Bivol for a light-Heavyweight belt.
The Mexican icon and one of boxing's top attractions has sparred with Golovkin, especially after the scrutiny he received following a positive test for performance enhancers.
They both have the same willingness to take risks in order to get big rewards. In the build-up to the fight, Canelo didn't blink about going toe-to-toe with Golovkin.
"He's a dangerous fighter, he's a good fighter, I think he's going to win the fight," he said. There's no doubt of that. You need to risk if you want something. I know that I can take risks to accomplish my goals.
The action from the first two fights was not present for most of the third. Fans who were nostalgic for those bouts booed when each fighter failed to hurt the other. The men stood in the ring after the fight and insisted that the third fight was a good one.
Both fighters were saluted by the crowd at the end. They hugged each other after the 36th round. He made it a point to shake the hand of his opponent after the fight. The animosity between them had been removed.
He indicated that he wasn't going to stop soon. He told the crowd in Las Vegas that he has two belts and is a champion in the 160-pound division.
An exciting rivalry fought at the sport's highest level will always be what Golovkin will be remembered for.
He grinned and stopped for a picture in his robe as he walked down the tunnel back to his locker room.
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