By RICARDO CASTILLO

Mexico’s internationally acclaimed boxing superstar Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez retained his four belts as the undisputed champion of the world in the super-middleweight position against U.S. contender Jermell Charlo by unanimous decision Saturday, Sept. 30, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

From the first round, both fighters established their style of fighting, with Canelo moving frontwards on the attack while Charlo opted for a defensive counterpunching tactic, making the most of fast sideways movements to evade punches.

Charlo’s tactic, however, did not work out, and, according to the cards of the three judges appointed by the Nevada Athletic Commission, began losing ground to come out at the end of the 12-round bout with 119-108, 118-109 and 118-109, which clearly reflected Canelo’s superiority round-by-round.

This was the third time Canelo defended the four titles awarded to him by the world’s leading boxing organizations: the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World Boxing Organization (WBO), the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

In the stands, a 20,000-strong ticket-paying crowd, composed mostly of loud cheering Mexicans, noisily backed Canelo from start to finish.

The best moment of the fight came in the seventh round, when Canelo landed a solid punch to Charlo’s right side of the forehead, wobbling up the American fighter’s knees. Charlo  had no remedy but to kneel down and wait for the protection count. Charlo, much to his credit, managed to survive Canelo’s attempt to knock him out.

Yet the fight from there to the last 12th round was a one-sided affair, even if Charlo managed to land several flurries of punches to Canelo’s head and body, to which the Mexican responded by keeping his forward relentless attack.

With this unanimous victory, Canelo has a career record of 60 victories, two losses and two draws.

In the after-fight on the air interview, Álvarez admitted with some disappointment that he’d been unable to knock Charlo out, but said he did not expect to and entered the ring prepared to go the full 12-round full length of the fight, a view that Charlo shared even in defeat.

“I’m always a strong fighter. I’m a strong man. Nobody can beat this Canelo,” he told the ring interviewer at the T-Mobile Arena. “We worked to punish his body. We knew he was a great fighter who knows how to move in the ring,” Canelo added, praising Charlo.