Canelo Alvarez vs. Caleb Plant: Five biggest storylines to watch ahead of the Showtime PPV fight in Las Vegas

Historical past might be made on Saturday night time in Las Vegas when boxing’s greatest famous person returns to the ring. Unified tremendous middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs) seems to be to grow to be the primary undisputed champion within the division’s historical past when he takes on IBF champion Caleb Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) in the principle occasion of a Showtime Boxing PPV type the MGM Grand Backyard Area in Las Vegas (9 p.m. ET).

The occasion additionally gained extra mainstream curiosity from a skirmish which broke out between fighters on the Sept. 22 press convention in Los Angeles, which left Plant with a lower beneath his proper eye.

As we shut in on struggle night time, let’s check out the largest storylines surrounding the Mexican icon’s return.  

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1. Nobody has come at Canelo fairly like this earlier than 

Whereas the buildup to his 2018 rematch in opposition to Gennadiy Golovkin turned significantly icy following GGG’s constant references to Alvarez’s failed drug take a look at, it was nothing in comparison with the fireworks Plant set off at September’s press convention. Not solely did Plant publicly paint Alvarez and his stablemates below coach Eddy Reynoso as outright cheaters, he incited what would flip into a quick and explosive melee by calling Alvarez a “motherf—er” and responding to his push with a slap. This wasn’t Billy Joe Saunders firing goofy insults at Alvarez throughout their press convention faceoff or Daniel Jacobs pushing Alvarez after their weigh-in staredown. This was probably the most aggressive any Alvarez opponent has been to get in his face and let him know they’re for actual. Plant’s unwillingness to again down additionally helped the extracurriculars between them go viral, including a component of dangerous blood to the promotion. They had been additionally an unmistakable message to Alvarez relating to Plant’s psychological energy and perception in himself. We cannot know till struggle night time, nonetheless, whether or not it helps Plant’s probabilities as a heavy underdog by getting Alvarez off of his sport. One factor we do know is … 

2. Waking a sleeping big is rarely an concept that comes with out hazard 

Is Plant outright loopy for frightening Alvarez or is he loopy like a fox? If this was meant as a means for Plant to easily fireplace himself up, it is a gamble that comes with doubtlessly extreme penalties. , the entire “do not mess with the bull otherwise you’ll get the horns” sort deal. Alvarez is ferocious sufficient as a finisher on this weight class that giving the sometimes mild-mannered champion additional purpose to be much more ruthless and environment friendly in his pursuit of a knockout appears misguided. Nevertheless it’s doable that Plant, an aggressive boxer recognized for his fast ft and mixtures, may be subliminally goading Alvarez into being extra of a bull to his matador below the considering {that a} much less affected person Alvarez will be countered extra simply. Once more, it is a main gamble however it’s strategically aggressive, simply the identical. And an attention-grabbing solution to attempt to shake up the current establishment of Alvarez opponents who enter with humble hope and exit with a one-sided defeat. Alvarez is such a pinpoint counterpuncher that the identical issues Plant is hoping may will him to success are, in concept, the identical issues that would in the end velocity up his demise.

3. Alvarez is at the moment working at an virtually historic degree of greatness 

How may anybody setting a betting line justify Alvarez as excessive as a –1200 favourite in a four-belt unification struggle in opposition to an unbeaten champion? Most likely as a result of he is actually that good. The evolution of Alvarez from a sensible counter puncher at 154 kilos to a do-it-all destroyer two weight divisions increased has been outstanding to see. The truth that Alvarez went as excessive as beforehand successful a world title at 175 kilos by knocking out a feared puncher like Sergey Kovalev was solely icing on the cake within the Mexican star’s current ascent to unchallenged dominance atop the pound-for-pound checklist. Seeing Alvarez grow to be this harmful of a fighter — one who can outbox you simply as simply as ending you off with one punch — is a testomony to his work ethic and starvation. Nevertheless it’s his consistency whatever the measurement or model of opponent that has been probably the most spectacular factor to observe. An enormous a part of that’s the prolific schedule Alvarez retains because the uncommon elite fighter targeted on maximizing the window of his bodily prime by staying energetic at degree most stars on this sport by no means see. This weekend will mark the fourth struggle for Alvarez in 12 months. As a promotional and community free agent with a uncommon quantity of leverage in his favor, Alvarez can largely name his personal photographs. And the truth that he does so on this trend solely speaks volumes to the character of Alvarez and the substance of his profession objectives. 

4. Plant’s small pattern measurement of elite foes makes this tough to correctly handicap 

Nobody is questioning whether or not Alvarez ought to be the favourite, and even an amazing favourite, getting into this struggle. He is one of the best boxer within the sport for a purpose. But attempting to determine precisely how a lot of take a look at Plant ought to be stays a tough train. Ought to this struggle have come instantly after Plant’s breakthrough title win in opposition to Jose Uzcategui in 2019, when he scored a pair of knockdowns and held on amid massive punches late, it is truthful to wonder if the native of Tennessee won’t be such a betting afterthought. Plant has made three defenses of his IBF title since defeating Uzcategui, however the matchmaking has been questionable sufficient all through a collection of showcase fights that we did not study a lot relating to his true top-end capacity. Even Plant’s most up-to-date outing, a shutout determination throughout the board over 12 rounds in opposition to pale former champion Caleb Truax, left extra questions than solutions as Plant dominated but did so with out a lot aptitude or inspiration. Is Plant the kind of fighter who rises to the event in opposition to the true elite when the stakes and the hazard are the very best? It is onerous to know given the dearth of proof.  

5. Alvarez’s unifying goals do not seem like stopping at 168 kilos 

Although Alvarez beforehand claimed a world title at gentle heavyweight earlier than shortly vacating it, little critical thought was given to the concept of him returning to the burden class. Or a minimum of that is what followers and media alike thought. However Alvarez will not cease citing the potential for making a full-time transfer to 175 kilos to problem the likes of unbeaten champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Contemplating each are extremely harmful opponents and something however households names, it is the form of excessive threat and low reward prophecy that the majority elite fighters would keep away from contemplating. Alvarez is solely a unique sort of competitor altogether. There may be actually extra money for Alvarez to make ought to he keep at tremendous middleweight and entertain potential PPV fights in opposition to David Benavidez or Jermall Charlo. But when Alvarez goes on to unify titles in a fourth weight class and accomplish that by defeating a P4P degree expertise in Beterbiev, it is going to be onerous to overstate simply how traditionally nice of a profession he’s at the moment having.  

Who wins Canelo vs. Plant? And which prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Brandon Wise’s best bets for Saturday, all from the CBS fight sports activities specialist who has crushed his boxing picks in 2021, and discover out.