Boxing: « Canelo » Alvarez-Caleb Plant, historic unification at stake

« A fight to make history »: the Mexican Saul « Canelo » Alvarez, considered one of the best current boxers in all categories, will be big favorite against the American Caleb Plant, for an unprecedented unification of titles among the super- means, Saturday in Las Vegas.

« A fight to make history »: the Mexican Saul « Canelo » Alvarez, considered one of the best current boxers in all categories, will be big favorite against the American Caleb Plant, for an unprecedented unification of titles among the super- means, Saturday in Las Vegas.

A little over a month after the extraordinary clash won by Tyson Fury at the expense of Deontay Wilder, who wrote one of the most beautiful pages in the premier heavyweight category, boxing offers itself another highly anticipated event.

Because the winner will enter the closed club of boxers to have gleaned belts from the four International Federations, WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.

Since its creation in 1988, a handful have succeeded. Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk (light heavy) now heavyweight champion, and Americans Bernard Hopkins (middle), Jermain Taylor (middle), Terence Crawford (super-light) and Josh Taylor (super-light).

Mexican Canelo Alvarez poses with his three world belts (WBC, WBA, IBF), before the official weigh-in against his challenger, the American Caleb Plant, on November 5, 2021 in Las Vegas, on the eve of their fight for the unification of titles among super-middleweight

Patrick T. FALLON – AFP

« Only five male fighters in boxing history have managed to become the undisputed champion. I want to be the sixth. That’s the only thing I have in mind. You are going to witness something that you will remember for a long time. » , promised « Canelo », holder of the WBC, WBA, IBF belts.

– « He crossed the line » –

His last fight in May was already memorable, as it was in Arlington (Texas), in the den of the American football team (NFL) of the Dallas Cowboys, the biggest indoor sporting event since the Covid-19 pandemic. .

The Mexican Canelo Alvarez, during his victory (after retirement after the 8th round) against the American Billy Joe Saunders, for the unified title (WBO, WBC, WBA) of the super-middleweight, on May 8 2021 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

AL BELLO – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP / Archives

Some 70,000 spectators, including a lot of white-hot Mexicans, had seen him beat the Briton Billy Joe Saunders, who could not resume the fight after eight rounds, victim of a fractured orbital floor. The 56th victory for Alvarez (38th before the limit) for 2 draws and a loss, against Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

Mexican Canelo Alvarez trades blows with American Caleb Plant at their press conference on September 21, 2021 in Beverly Hills, ahead of their super-middleweight title fight on November 6 in Las Vegas

RONALD MARTINEZ – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP / Archives

Faced with Plant, his motivation to do battle is also personal. At the previous conference held in September in Los Angeles, he traded a few blows with the American after the latter, slashed under the right eye, uttered an insult targeting his mother.

« He crossed the line and maybe too much, » he had justified after this incident that everyone has however minimized this week.

« It’s so different when you’re in the ring, so I don’t take anything away from our altercation at the first press conference, » the Mexican said, insisting that he would be calm, cold as usual. and strategist Saturday night.

– « I like being the outsider » –

« It was not my intention to attack him personally. I think the media do more than us in the end. We each had more serious scuffles than that. When the bell rings, it’s completely different, » abounded the American, whose mother, Beth Plant, was gunned down by police after brandishing a knife while undergoing medical treatment in 2019.

The story of Caleb Plant is also punctuated by trauma: pneumonia killed his 20-month-old daughter in 2015, born with a cerebral anomaly.

At 29, the one who has 21 wins (12 before the limit) in as many fights and holds the IBF belt does not have anything to feel intimidated by the test that awaits him in the ring of the MGM Grand, even facing to an opponent like Alvarez, as tough as he is ruthless.

The American Caleb Plant, during the official weigh-in, on November 5, 2021 in Las Vegas, on the eve of his fight against the Mexican Canelo Alvarez for unification in the super-middleweight

Patrick T. FALLON – AFP

« I have to do this job by whatever means I need. That’s what I’ve always done until now. Whether it’s in boxing or in life, I’ve come to this by doing everything which was possible, ”he said.

“I used to be the underdog. It’s a position that I like. I like people to cheer me on. It gives me extra motivation, even if when you fight to be the undisputed champion, you don’t. don’t need much more. « 

By Nicolas PRATVIEL / Las Vegas (United States) (AFP) / © 2021 AFP