Canelo Alvarez nears historic achievement with an eye toward even more gold and bigger challenges

The refusal of four-division champion Canelo Alvarez to rest on the laurels of the success he has already achieved as boxing’s simultaneous pound-for-pound king and biggest global draw has made putting any potential limitations in front of him a difficult thing.

Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs) has come a long way throughout a 16-year pro career that began as a teenager in his native Mexico and saw him become a viable pay-per-view star by the age of 23. But as Alvarez, now 31, prepares to make history once more on Saturday in hopes of crowning the first undisputed champion in super middleweight history, it’s worth taking a moment to realize just how remarkable Alvarez’s evolution has been.  

The reigning WBA, WBO and WBC champion at 168 pounds welcomes IBF titleholder Caleb Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) this weekend inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The fact that Alvarez is such a monster betting favorite isn’t as much of a surprise as what this fight could represent in the fighter’s overall career arc: a full unification of an entire division in less than one year and a final stop before potentially attempting to do the same at 175 pounds.  

“Even harder than getting to the top is staying there,” Alvarez said in recent weeks. “That’s why I try to get better each and every day. That’s what I’ve been trying to do from my first fight up until now.” 

Can’t get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including complete coverage of Canelo vs. Plant from Las Vegas all week long.

The Alvarez who suffered his lone pro defeat in 2013 when he dropped a wide decision to Floyd Mayweather in their 152-pound catchweight superfight was a smart boxer and heavy counterpuncher with perceived weaknesses in foot speed. Yet the one who will face…