John Howard vs Thiago Alves — Fight recap

Thiago Alves defeated John Howard by unanimous decision over three rounds on December 11, 2010, with referee Yves Lavigne overseeing the bout. Alves dominated the striking exchanges, landing 73 of 185 significant strikes (39%) compared to Howard's 37 of 124 (29%), and secured a crucial knockdown in the fight.

The Brazilian also controlled the grappling phase, converting both of his takedown attempts while Howard failed on two tries, accumulating 2:58 of control time versus Howard's 0:53. Alves' leg strike volume proved particularly effective, landing 32 of 39 attempts, while Howard struggled to find his range and failed to complete any takedown defense.

The decision reflected Alves' superior output and tactical control throughout, establishing him as a welterweight contender while Howard faced questions about his consistency at 170 pounds.