Canelo Alvarez Knocks Out James Kirkland in Round 3 Match

It was a spectacular win for Canelo Alvarez who bagged the middleweight world title after a third-round knockout against James Kirkland on Saturday night.

Held at the Minute Maid Park in Texas, the match was truly an aggressive battle between the two fighters, with Kirkland dropping three times prior to the knockout as per ESPN.

"I'm happy about the win. The result was what I expected," Alvarez said, as quoted by ESPN. Kirkland, on the other hand, had no idea that he was already knocked out.

Golden Boy president and a boxer himself, Oscar De La Hoya, said that this action-packed fight helped some people forget the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao match more than a week ago.

"This is exactly what needed to happen. Mayweather-Pacquiao -- people will forget. Styles make fights, and when Kirkland is ready, he will walk through anyone, but Canelo was ready, too. He was stronger and smarter," De La Hoya was quoted by ESPN as saying.

The same report discussed that this recent win is very important for Alvarez who will be facing Miguel Cotto this coming fall.

Alvarez's edge over Kirkland

Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports said Kirkland was a tough opponent because he was a "huge underdog."

"He entered the bout 32-1 with 28 knockouts and a reputation as one of the sport's most aggressive and exciting fighters," Iole explained.

But their fight proved that Alvarez made better punches that connected to his opponent. Iole described Kirkland as a "one-dimensional fighter with no defense" while Alvarez is a "complete package."

De La Hoya explained in the ESPN report that although Kirkland was a strong fighter during the match, Alvarez was able to keep his cool.

"He tried to keep his distance, but Kirkland was so relentless. What really impressed me was [Alvarez's] defense. He was dodging the left hooks Kirkland was throwing. He used everything in his arsenal. But the most impressive punch was the body shots," De La Hoya added.

'I knew I had him'

Alvarez also recognized Kirkland's talent and skill but he said he was confident enough to win the match. "I knew that James is a strong fighter, but he did surprise me with his aggressiveness in the first and second rounds. But once I dropped him the first time, I knew I had him," he told reporters.

A right hand ended the match after 2 minutes and 19 seconds, leaving Kirkland flat on the canvas while Alvarez celebrated his victory.

This is a much-needed win for Alvarez as he prepares himself for bigger battles coming his way. Cotto will first face Daniel Geale on June 6 at the Barclays Center in New York before facing Alvarez. Kirkland, on the other hand, may need to reconsider his career options and secure a win in his next fight to continue with boxing.