It wasn't the fight of the year that was promised, nor was it even the fight of the night.

In the end, however, it was enough for Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez to make history for Mexico. The 25-year old superstar became the first from his nation to capture the World (lineal) middleweight championship after outpoitning Miguel Cotto over 12 rounds Saturday evening at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 155 lb. catchweight bout aired live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

A boxing match broke out where a fight was expected, but Alvarez won the matchup of clashing styles as his brute strength was proven more than enough to conquer Cotto's intention to move rather than stick. Cotto was effective early in the fight, but the sense was that it was a matter of time before Alvarez would eventually take over the fight.

That moment never truly came, at least not in the sense of a knockout ever threatening to surface. It was enough for Alvarez to rack up rounds on the judge's scorecards, as Cotto's unwillingness to trade cost him dearly.

Following seven rounds of boxing, two-way action broke out in a thrilling start to round eight. Cotto was briefly rocked but able to regain his legs quick enough to get out of harm's way and offer return fire of his own.

The defending champ was able to find the necessary distance he desired in rounds 10 and 11, but Alvarez' aggression played more favorably with the ringside officials given the final scores. Cotto needed a knockout to win entering round 12, but was rocked late in the round and wound up boxing to survive rather than attempting to trade punches with his much larger challenger.

Scores of 117-111, 118-110 and 119-109 all came in for Alvarez, who was overcome with joy and humility by the moment.

"It's an emotion I just can't put in to words." Alvarez (46-1-1, 32KOs) said in winning a title in his second weight class. "I have a lot of respect for Miguel Cotto. He's a great champion but now it's my era."

Cotto (40-5, 33KOs) stormed from the ring the moment the decision was announced, refusing to be interviewed afterward. The loss is his first since joining forces with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach more than two years ago, snapping a three-fight win streak.

The defeat also ends his lineal middleweight championship reign that began with a 10th round knockout win over Sergio Martinez last June. All three middleweight title fights for Cotto took place at a catchweight - a 159 lb. limit in his win over Martinez, demanding former champ Daniel Geale to shrivel down to 157 lbs. for his 4th round knockout win this past June and the imposed 155 lb. limit for Saturday's bout.

Alvarez has become well-versed in the art of catchweights, his fifth straight bout to take place outside of a natural weight class. He was asked to honor a 152 lb. cathchweight for the lone loss of his career, a 12-round boxing lesson at the hands of Floyd Mayweather in their Sept. '13 blockbuster event.

Each of his past four fights have taken place with a 155 lb. catchweight in place.

If he is to honor the terms of his World Boxing Council (WBC) title, then his next ordered fight - a mandatory defense versus unbeaten unified titlist Gennady Golovkin - will have to take place at the full 160 lb. limit. It is against sanctioning body policy for a mandatory title fight to take place at a catchweight, although it's worth noting that Golovkin's interest is in collecting all of the middleweight belts and not leaving any title on the table.

Alvarez remained noncommital to such a fight, as he wanted to enjoy the waking moments of his biggest career win to date.

"With all due respect, I want to focus on this win," Alvarez told HBO's Max Kellerman when broached with the subject. "But if (Golovkin) wants to fight, put on the gloves and we can fight right now."

Interestingly, Golovkin was at ringside, but did not take up the newly crowned World middleweight champion on his offer. That bout will come in due time, perhaps as the first big event of 2016.

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