By Keith Idec

Canelo Alvarez doesn’t deny that Gennady Golovkin can punch.

Alvarez just doesn’t consider the pulverizing power Golovkin has utilized to decimate Vanes Martirosyan and so many other opponents to be anything he hadn’t experienced prior to their debatable draw last September 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Mexico’s Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) wasn’t noticeably hurt during their 12-round fight 11 months ago and isn’t overly concerned about Golovkin’s vaunted power as their rematch nears.

“Obviously, he’s a very strong fighter,” Alvarez said. “He has a very strong hit in his punches. That’s his strongest virtue as a fighter. He has that power. But obviously, I’ve fought other strong fighters as well. And despite him being a 160-pounder, with respectable power, it’s nothing out of this world. I showed in the first fight that I can take his punches. He’s a respectable puncher, with respectable power, but nothing out of this world.”

The 36-year-old Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) knocked out 23 straight opponents prior to Daniel Jacobs taking him the distance in March 2017. Golovkin, who edged Jacobs by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden, went 12 rounds in a second straight fight against Alvarez almost six months later.

Golovkin-Alvarez was declared a draw because one judge, Dave Moretti, scored the fight for Golovkin (115-113), another judge, Adelaide Byrd, absurdly scored it 118-110 for Alvarez, and a third judge, Don Trella, had it even (114-114).

The 28-year-old Alvarez also said Tuesday that while Golovkin’s power didn’t affect him, he knows he hurt Golovkin.

“The first fight gave me the guideline to know what to do in the second fight, to know what to do differently,” Alvarez said.

“In the first fight, I realized a lot of things. I learned I can knock him out. I learned that I can hurt him. There are a lot of things I learned in that fight. But also in that first fight, it was my first fight, officially, at 160 pounds, at the 160-pound limit. So I had to adapt. But now I’m more sure and I’m more confident about what I can do in this rematch.”

Golovkin is slightly favored to defeat Alvarez in their rematch September 15 at T-Mobile Arena (HBO Pay-Per-View).

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.