Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will soon be back in the ring as he prepares to face Gennady Golovkin for a third time.
The Mexican boxer might be 32 years of age but he has still got plenty left in the tank as he tries to further rubber-stamp his legacy at the top of the world rankings.
Canelo is widely regarded as one of the best fighters on the planet and ahead of his upcoming trilogy bout, we have taken a look at five fights that made him who he is today.
Floyd Mayweather Jr – September 2013
American legend Mayweather moved up in weight and extended his unbeaten record after beating Alvarez on points.
Reports suggest that Alvarez weighed 15lbs more than Mayweather on the night, but it mattered little as the judges all favoured “Money” at the MGM Garden in Las Vegas.
Alvarez struggled to land any meaningful punches, but it was a bout that has helped him throughout his career.
Gennady Golovkin – September 2018
Alvarez and Golovkin’s first bout ended in a controversial draw, but the rematch at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas went the way of Canelo via a majority decision.
While the judges favoured Canelo’s work on the night, 10 of the 18 media outlets scored the fight for Golovkin.
In the rematch, Alvarez was more aggressive and traded with his rival and their rematch promises to be just as dramatic later this month.
Sergey Kovalev – November 2019
Alvarez has already cemented his place in the Hall of Fame for when he retires and his victory over Sergey Kovalev in 2019 is one of the reasons he is adored around the world.
The Mexican decided to move up two weight classes to fight the Russian for his WBO light-heavyweight belt.
Even though Kovalev was known as a power puncher, he was stopped in round 11 by Alvarez after a stunning combination.
Caleb Plant – November 2021
American Plant and Alvarez squared off in Las Vegas for all of the super-middleweight belts.
The winner would be crowned the first undisputed super-middleweight champion and it was Alvarez who managed to get the job done in the 11th round, when referee Russell Mora dived in to call off the bout.
His victory over Plant ensured he became only the sixth boxer to unify all belts in one division in the four-belt era.
Dmitry Bivol – May 2022
Canelo’s most recent fight was only the second defeat of his career but if he can bounce back as he did against Mayweather, then fans are in for a treat.
He decided to step up once again to light heavyweight to face Bivol, but it was a decision that he regretted as he failed to dent his opponent’s armour.
Bivol beat Alvarez in every round of the fight, but the Mexican superstar will no doubt be back with a vengeance later this year.