Many viewers believed Golovkin had done enough to win. Instead, the judges returned a split draw. Dave Moretti scored it 115 to 113 for Golovkin, Don Trella had it 114 to 114, and Adelaide Byrd produced the infamous 118 to 110 card for Canelo.
Byrd’s score was impossible to defend. Awarding Canelo ten rounds turned a competitive fight into something that barely resembled what happened in the ring. The result denied Golovkin the biggest victory of his career and allowed Canelo to leave Las Vegas without an official defeat.
Golovkin’s attack also contained a weakness that became more important in the rematch. H
