Officially, it was a 12-round non-title bout contested at a 155-pound catchweight. With both men widely regarded as the division’s top two fighters following Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s departure from 154 pounds, the winner would leave Las Vegas with a strong claim as the division’s best.

Lara entered the fight as the WBA (Regular) junior middleweight champion and was ranked No. 1 by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and No. 2 by The Ring. Canelo was ranked No. 1 by the WBA and The Ring, No. 2 by the WBC, WBO, and TBRB, and was also recognized as The Ring’s No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter.

For Canelo, the bout represented an opportunity to erase lingering doubts following his lone professional defeat to Mayweather. For Lara, it was the opportunity to prove he could defeat one of boxing’s biggest stars and establish himself as the division’s leading fighter.

Both men weighed exactly 155 pounds at the official weigh-in. By fight night, however, Canelo had rehydrated to approximately 171 pounds, while Lara entered the ring at around 166.

Veteran referee Robert Byrd officiated the bout, while judges Dave Moretti, Jerry Roth, and Levi Martinez were assigned to score it.

From the opening bell, Lara boxed the way many expected. He stayed on his feet, worked behind his jab and straight left hand, and refused to stand still long enough for Canelo to unload combinations.

Canelo spent much of the early rounds stalking his opponent, patiently cutting off the ring rather than chasing him. Whenever he trapped Lara near the ropes, he dug heavy hooks into the body in an effort to slow the Cuban’s movement.

As the fight progressed, Lara’s output began to decline. Although he continued to land the cleaner punches, he threw less frequently, allowing Canelo’s pressure and body attack to become a bigger factor. One of the bout’s key moments came in the seventh round when Canelo landed a lead left uppercut that opened a cut over Lara’s right eye.

The contest remained close through the championship rounds, with Lara continuing to score with straight left hands while Canelo pressed forward looking for the more damaging punches.

After 12 rounds, the judges were split. Jerry Roth scored the fight 115-113 for Lara, Dave Moretti had it 115-113 for Canelo, and Levi Martinez turned in a much wider 117-111 score for Álvarez, giving the Mexican star a split-decision victory.

The verdict immediately divided opinion. Many media members and fans believed Lara’s cleaner punching, defense, and ring generalship deserved the decision, while others favored Canelo’s pressure, body punching, and effective aggression. Martinez’s 117-111 scorecard drew the strongest criticism, with many observers believing it was far too wide for such a closely contested fight.

CompuBox statistics added another layer to the debate, showing Lara with a slight edge in total punches landed, while Canelo connected with many of the bout’s heavier body shots.

The victory improved Canelo’s record to 44-1-1 and kept him on course for even bigger opportunities. The following year, he defeated Miguel Cotto to win the WBC middleweight title before eventually becoming boxing’s undisputed super middleweight champion.

Lara fell to 19-2-2 but remained one of boxing’s most respected technicians, later adding more world titles and extending his career well into his 40s.

Despite years of discussion, a rematch never materialized. Golden Boy Promotions chairman Oscar De La Hoya quickly dismissed the idea afterward, saying, “No one wants a rematch.”

Twelve years later, Canelo Álvarez vs. Erislandy Lara remains one of the most debated scorecards of the modern era, with boxing fans still divided over who deserved the decision.