LAS VEGAS — Canelo Alvarez has captured belts at 154, 160, 168, and 175 pounds. But 168 is where he can get the chance to make history when Alvarez meets Caleb Plant on Saturday to determine the first four-belt champion.
Typically in boxing, the path to an undisputed championship fight requires years to reach that point. Not Alvarez, who competes for the fourth time in 11 months. He systematically beat up Callum Smith to win the WBA (super) and the vacant WBC titles in December. Then at the end of February, Alvarez decimated Avni Yildirim. Ten weeks later, the 31-year-old battered and broke Billy Joe Saunders' face in front of a record-breaking crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to gain the WBO belt. Now, boxing's marquee attraction is on the cusp of history when he battles the IBF titlist in a few short days.
Just don't expect Canelo do anything different than he's done to get this point. He didn't do anything new in the gym with long-time trainer Eddy Reynoso because all his fights have a significant value, which is why he trains for all of them conscientiously.
"It is said to be easy to reach an undisputed championship in 11 months, but I have been preparing for this moment for 16 years," Alvarez told DAZN News after Wednesday's press conference. "It has been a long and difficult road in the history of boxing, only five have achieved it, and that has me excited."
On the journey to possibly becoming the king of the super-middleweights, Alvarez has taken on Floyd Mayweather Jr. at 23, Gennadiy Golovkin (twice), Miguel Cotto, Erislandy Lara, and Austin Trout. However, what Plant brings to the table is nothing Alvarez hasn't experienced in his 16-year career.
“I’ve faced many good fighters with skills that are similar to Caleb," Alvarez said. It’s a style that I’ve seen before, and I know what to do with it. That just gives me confidence in my experience heading into this fight."
The Canelo vs. Plant fight will not air on DAZN. However, The DAZN Boxing Show will be in Las Vegas during fight week for live episodes, exclusive interviews and more.
Also, the DAZN News website will bring you all the live text updates and results from Canelo-Plant at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night.