Canelo Alvarez’s next fight is just six days away, as the Mexican superstar returns to DAZN to face WBC mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim in a main event from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KO) will be defending his WBC and WBA super middleweight titles, and while he’s heavily favored and not expected to have much trouble, it’s obviously must-win. Canelo, 30, has plans to go for the undisputed championship at 168, which could start May 8 against WBO titlist Billy Joe Saunders.
“It’s important for me and (trainer) Eddy (Reynoso), because very few people have achieved becoming undisputed champions,” said Canelo. “And that’s a short-term goal for us. To win all the titles at 168 pounds. Obviously, no Mexican has ever done it. So that’s our short-term goal, to keep making history. And that’s what we want. Eddy and I have always wanted the best. And we want to keep making history.”
Canelo’s greatest overall goal is making a legacy in the sport, to become a legend always remembered.
“I think it’s important, not just for me, but for all fighters. To make history in boxing is very important, I think. It’s very important to me to leave behind a legacy in this sport. And that’s why we’re doing this. To keep making history and so when people talk about boxing, they always remember me.”
If it happens that way, in all reality, the fight with Yildirim (21-2, 12 KO) won’t be a high-level memory among the achievements and big fights. But it has to get done, and Canelo has to win. It’s also a chance to see a legitimate top star — arguably the top star in the sport today — fight twice in two months, which is incredibly rare anymore, so there’s that, too.