What happens when Canelo Alvarez fights angry? ‘Ask Caleb Plant’

Canelo Alvarez sees his anger towards Gennadiy Golovkin as a benefit headed into their Sept. 17 championship bout on DAZN. He cites Caleb Plant as why.

Entering their Sept. 17 trilogy boxing bout, it’s clear that Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin do not like each other. They had disparaging words for one another, and according to Alvarez, nothing has changed.

After fighting to a draw in their 2017 contest, Alvarez scored a majority decision over Golovkin in 2018. Golovkin needled Alvarez with negative comments regarding his suspension for testing positive for clenbuterol.

In the build-up to their third and likely final showdown, Alvarez still bares plenty of ill-will towards Golovkin. Boxers often state that they don’t fight angry because it can lead to mistakes in the ring. Alvarez on the other hand sees his disdain for Golovkin as an advantage.

“Ask [Caleb] Plant,” Alvarez responded to FanSided when asked if anger helps him in the ring. “It’s just different. Like training different mindset. I just use my anger for in my favor, of course. I just want to train like never in my life.”

Alvarez punished and stopped Caleb Plant in 2021 via round 11 TKO. Alvarez and Plant exchanged plenty of harsh words, which hit a crescendo in a pre-fight press conference. Plant swung and missed at Alvarez, who retaliated with a right hand that landed on Plant’s brow.

Watch Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin 3, on Saturday, Sept. 17, on DAZN PPV

Alvarez opened up a cut on Plant with that blow, but that was nothing compared to the pain he delivered to Plant in their matchup. We know that Alvarez doesn’t like Plant or Golovkin, but he dislikes Golovkin even more than Plant.

“I think [I dislike] Golovkin a little more because Caleb Plant, he’s a person who tells you what he thinks,” Alvarez said. “He tells you the truth, right? Golovkin, he tries to pretend to be other person, and he’s not. He don’t have balls. So, I hate that kind of people more.”

‘Hate’ is an incredibly strong word, but Alvarez used it in his characterization of Golovkin, which is telling.

It has been four years since Alvarez and Golovkin fought their rematch, but Alvarez imagines their third meeting playing out in a similar fashion.

“Similar than the second fight, but I feel more strong, more mature in the ring,” Alvarez said. “That’s going to make a difference.”

If Alvarez defends his undisputed super middleweight champion status against Golovkin, the question is who’s next? Alvarez lost a unanimous decision to WBA light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol in his last outing, and the loss still lingers in his memory.

“I just have two fights in my mind right now, Golovkin and Bivol rematch. That’s the only two fights I have in my sure future.”

Alvarez has a clear plan in mind. Step 1 is beating Golovkin for the second time at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, on Sept. 17. Then it’s time for redemption against Bivol.