Canelo Alvarez Vs. Caleb Plant: Five of the biggest stories to watch before the Showtime PPV fight in Las Vegas

History could be made when the biggest boxing superstar in Las Vegas returns to the ring on Saturday night. Canelo Alvarez, a one-time super-middleweight champion (56-1-2, 38 KOs), wants to become the first undisputed champion in the division’s history against IBB champion Caleb Plant in the main event of a 21-0, 12 KOs. Showtime Boxing PPV Created the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (21:00 ET).

The event also gained more interest as a result of a clash that broke out between the fighters at a Sept. 22 press conference in Los Angeles, which left Plant with a cut under his right eye.

When we finish the night of the fight, let’s look at some of the biggest stories about the return of the Mexican icon.

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1. No one has come to Canelo before

Although the collection of the 2018 rematch against Gennadiy Golovkin was particularly frozen, after GGG’s consistent references to Alvarez’s drug test, there was nothing compared to the fireworks that Plant started at the September press conference. Plant publicly painted Alvarez and coach Eddy Reynoso under the guidance of Alvarez and his teammates as a fraudulent scam, prompting what would become a short, explosive melee by calling Alvarez a “mother — er” and responding with a slap in the face from his impulse. This was not to throw a stupid insult at Billy Joe Saunders Alvarez in the face of a press conference, or to push him after Daniel Jacobs Alvarez weighed him down. This has been Alvarez’s most aggressive opponent to get in his face and report that they are real. The plant’s unwillingness to back down helped make extracurricular studies viral between them, adding an element of bad blood to the promotion. For Alvarez, too, they were an unmistakable message about Plant’s mental strength and belief in himself. We won’t know until the night of the fight, however, whether removing Alvarez from his game will help Plant’s chances as a serious weakness. One thing we know is …

2. Waking up a sleeping giant is never a risk-free idea

Is Plant completely crazy about provoking Alvarez or is he like crazy like a fox? This is a bet that if Plant wants to be a way to throw itself, it can lead to serious consequences. You know, a whole deal like “don’t mix with the bull or you’ll get horns”. Alvarez is honest enough that as he has reached this weight level, it seems wrong to give the usual warm champion an extra reason to be even more ruthless and effective in looking for a knockout. But it may be that Plant, an aggressive boxer known for his quick feet and combinations, subliminally pushes Alvarez to be more of a bull for his matador, thinking he can more easily face an Alvarez with less patience. Again, it’s a big bet but it’s strategically aggressive, anyway. And an interesting way to try to shake up the final situation of Alvarez’s opponents who come in with low hopes and come out with a one-sided defeat. Alvarez is such an accurate counterpoint that the same things that Plant can succeed in theory are the same things that can eventually hasten his death.

3. Alvarez is working on an almost historical level today

How could anyone who sets the betting line justify Alvarez –1200 as a favorite as a non-winning champion in a four-belt unification fight? Probably because it’s very good. Alvarez’s evolution from a 154-pound smart anti-drill has been notable for everything from being two weights higher in weight to a destructive one. In fact, Alvarez was as high as winning the 175-pound world title by throwing a terrifying blow like Sergey Kovalev on the pound-up list of the Mexican star’s latest rise. Seeing Alvarez become such a dangerous fighter – one that makes you as easy as finishing a punch – is a testament to his work ethic and hunger. But its consistency is what has been the most spectacular thing seen regardless of the size or style of the opponent. A big part of that is the prolific calendar that Alvarez maintains, keeping him active at a level that most stars in this sport never see as a rare elite fighter focused on maximizing his physical time window. Alvarez will face his fourth fight this weekend in 12 months. As a free agent for promotion and networking, with a rare number of levers in his favor, Alvarez can largely make his shots. And doing so speaks to Alvarez’s character and the essence of his career goals.

4. A small sample of elite plant enemies makes it difficult to reduce this properly

No one doubts whether Alvarez should be a favorite to get into this fight, nor an absolute favorite. For some reason he is the best boxer in the game. However, analyzing the extent to which the plant should be remains a difficult exercise. If this fight were to be won by Plant in 2019 against Jose Uzcategui and it happened immediately, when he got a couple of blows and held on between the big blows of late, it’s reasonable to think that Tennessee’s hometown wouldn’t have made such a bet. Plant has made three defenses of his IBF title since defeating Uzcategui, but the pairing has been questionable enough during the showcase fights that we didn’t learn much about his true high-level ability. Plant’s last outing, too, was a decision against a former faded champion Caleb Truax, who had been champion for 12 rounds, leaving more questions than answers because Plant dominated, however he did so without much melody or inspiration. Is Plant the kind of fighter who competes against the real elite when the stakes and risks are greatest? It’s hard to know because of a lack of evidence.

5. Alvarez’s unifying dream doesn’t seem to stop at 168 pounds

Even though Alvarez won the world lightweight title before he left quickly, little thought was given to the idea of ​​returning to the weight class. Or so the fans and the media thought. But Alvarez will not give up the opportunity to make a full-time move to 175 pounds to face undefeated champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. With the exception of both incredibly dangerous opponents and household names, it is a type of high-risk, low-reward prophecy that most elite fighters would not consider. Alvarez is another type of competitor. There is certainly more money to be had if Alvarez stays at the superweight and entertains potential PPV fights against David Benavidez or Jermall Charles. But if Alvarez combines fourth-degree titles and defeats Beterbiev’s P4P-level talent, it will be hard to say that his career is historically great.

Who wins Canelo vs Plant? And what props are essential? Visit SportsLine now to see Brandon Wise’s best bets for Saturday, all by the hand of a CBS wrestling sports specialist who stepped up his boxing opportunities in 2021, and find out.