First, Las Cruces’ hard-to-hit Austin Trout retained his WBA junior middleweight title with a victory by lopsided, unanimous decision over Delvin Rodriguez.

The bout was telecast nationally on Showtime.

Then, WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, in contrast to his trademark aggressive style in the ring, artfully ducked questions about a possible showdown with Trout.

After his victory over Rodriguez, Trout (25-0, 14 knockouts) called out Alvarez, whose red hair has earned him his nickname — Spanish for cinnamon.

“Come on, Cinnamon,” Trout said during his post-fight interview. “Let’s have one champion in this division.”

Showtime then switched to Alvarez, sitting at ringside, who was asked point blank if he’s interested in a fight with Trout. The unbeaten (40-0, 29 KOs) Mexican fighter has a Sept. 15 bout scheduled, but as of now opponent for that date.

Alvarez never so much as mentioned Trout’s name.

“He just wants to see which fight is best for him now,” an interpreter said.

Trout’s fight with Rodriguez, meanwhile, was being viewed as a competitive success but a public-relations failure.

“(Trout) didn’t do much to elevate himself to the next level,” wrote Michael Woods of thesweetscience.com. “… He’s a smart, skilled boxer, but his style won’t make TV buyers salivate over him.”

Perhaps not, but much of the blame must — and has been — assigned to Rodriguez (25-6, 14 KOs).

Before the fight, Trout praised the Danbury, Conn., fighter as one who would bring out the best in him. Rodriguez, meanwhile, was calling Saturday’s bout the fight of his life.

Yet, Rodriguez lacked aggressiveness — fighting mostly from the outside against a lightning-quick southpaw who typically controls fights from a distance.

The result? One judge saw Trout winning all 12 rounds. The other two judges gave the New Mexican nine and 10 rounds, respectively.

Trout acknowledged afterward that Saturday’s work was not his best.

“I’d probably give myself a 6 1/2, 7 (presumably out of 10),” he told Showtime’s Jim Gray, adding that he did enough to win against a smart, tough and sometimes awkward challenger in Rodriguez.

“… I’ll be a 10 when it comes to Cinnamon.”

But is it when, or if?
— This article appeared on page B1 of the Albuquerque Journal