The first fight between Gennady Golovkin and Saul Alvarez was to decide the identity of the top middleweight in the world. Instead, it left us with no answer and a whole lot of questions.
A draw failed to settle the argument, but thankfully on Saturday the two rivals will meet in an eagerly anticipated sequel.
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Both will be back at the T-Mobile Arena with a point to prove. Golovkin — who saw his 38-fight winning streak come to an end — landed more punches in the initial bout but was less accurate than Canelo, who scuttled initial plans for a May rematch when he failed a drugs test.
Now, though, the time has come for two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world to do battle again. Ahead of the Las Vegas blockbuster, we've picked out three of the best victories — listed in chronological order — in each fighter's career.
1. GGG vs. Willie Monroe Jr. (May 2015)
"I'm done." Those were Monroe's words when referee Jack Reiss asked if he wanted to continue in the sixth round after going down for a third and final time in the bout.
The American southpaw already had been dropped twice in the second as he failed to keep his opponent at bay. GGG stalked him mercilessly, unconcerned by what came back his way as he cut off the angles and closed the gap.
It was a 20th straight stoppage win for the Kazakh, enhancing his reputation as a power puncher with a ruthless streak.
2. GGG vs. David Lemieux (October 2015)
The Madison Square Garden crowd witnessed a one-sided beating.
Lemieux, the IBF champ, was knocked down in the fifth round before finally being put out of his misery in the eighth, referee Steve Willis stepping in to halt proceedings.
Golovkin’s only mistake was hitting the Canadian late after the first knockdown, a right hand leading to an apologetic bow and an outstretched glove of regret before he resumed doling out the punishment.
The beaten fighter complained in the aftermath that the stoppage came too soon — he should have been thanking the official for calling off the onslaught.
3. GGG vs. Daniel Jacobs (October 2017)
Golovkin against Jacobs was expected to be a battle to see who could land the knockout punch first. Instead, it became a tactical tussle.
"The Miracle Man" — a suitable Jacobs nickname after overcoming bone cancer — nearly pulled off a shocker thanks to a tight defense and his propensity to switch stances from orthodox to southpaw, stopping his rival from getting into a rhythm.
Yet GGG overcame all obstacles — including a disadvantage in height and weight — to win by unanimous decision on points, marking the first time he had gone 12 rounds. Golovkin said after the verdict: "Daniel is my favorite fighter — I cannot destroy him."
