After more than a decade and a half of uninterrupted work, Mexican fighter Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez achieved something that can put him on a higher level than his compatriots, because so far Canelo is the only undisputed Mexican champion, a milestone he achieved in 11 months.
"16 years as a professional, 17 years training, working hard. It sounds very little but it is a lot of hours, many days, many months and years. Rain or shine he is working there and now he is reaping the rewards of so much hard work," said Chepo Reynoso, father of Álvarez's trainer, Eddy Reynoso, in an exclusive interview with DAZN Espanol.
Don Chepo, patriarch of the family, has been by Canelo and Eddy's side throughout this process and commented that the key to success, beyond the natural talent of the 31-year-old fighter, is the great commitment and discipline they have forged as a team.
"People think it's easy to get here, but they're wrong," he continued. It takes a lot of hard work. We are a disciplined and demanding team in training, so he got used to it.
"He arrived as a mass and we were making our own mould. Everything he knows he learned from us, we were always disciplined, responsible, our gym never closed, whenever he arrived there was his gym, so all of that is what has made him get to where he is. Discipline, because we are also disciplined."
For now the team will take a break until February before the Guadalajara fighter sits down to analyse the options for May.