On Saturday, November 6, 2021, the widely regarded pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Canelo Alvarez, stepped into the MGM Grand Garden with his sights on being the first-ever undisputed Super Middleweight champion of the world.
Across the ring from him stood the undefeated fighter and IBF champion Caleb Plant, who, throughout all the doubters, maintained an aura of confidence leading up to the fight.
Plant would step into the ring under the most prominent and brightest lights he’s seen thus far in his career. In the build-up, Plant said and did all the right things, but it would come down to fight night to see if he could walk the walk.
No stranger to the big moment, Alvarez entered the ring with flare as is tradition with him, and the Las Vegas crowd would eat it up.
One thing that could help prevent Canelo’s coronation as undisputed champ is Plant’s steady and precise jab, which Plant began to introduce to Alvarez early and often in the opening rounds.
Alvarez made it a point to invest in the body early on and consistently pressed the action.
Plant found success with variations of his jab and straight right hands that would sneak in between Canelo’s body attacks. Plant had an impressive display of defense round by round and found success using
the shoulder roll.
Alvarez stalked Plant, while searching for the perfect power shot, but Plant remained strong and stood tall to Canelo’s power, something many doubted he could do.
It became clear that Plant wasn’t just another name for Canelo to add to his hit list and, through the midpoint of
the fight, had proved he belonged in the ring with Alvarez.
As the second half of the bout commenced, Alvarez began to press on the gas and increased his volume of punches while Plant remained conservative in his attacks and might’ve started to feel the effects of the sustained body attack.
It was finally in the 11th round when Canelo sealed his place in the history books with a left hook and uppercut that floored and stopped Caleb plant to crown Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world. Plant did what he could to raise to his feet
but his legs didnt agree with him in the end.
“This hasn’t been easy to accomplish,” said Alvarez after the fight. “It was the fans’ support; together with my team and family, we did it! Only six people achieved this, and I’m glad I could accomplish this.”
Alvarez joins a shortlist of fighters to accomplish the tall feat and easily etches his name amongst some of the greatest fighters to lace gloves on and certainly in the conversation for greatest Mexican fighter of all time.
