A Star Is Born

Santos Saul Alvarez Barragan was born on July 18, 1990, the youngest of eight siblings comprising seven boys and one girl. Growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, Alvarez’s skin complexion differed from those of his family members. He was a red-haired, freckle-faced baby, who was later bullied by childhood classmates.

All of the Alvarez boys were boxers, and, by the age of 10, Saul’s interest in pugilism had reached its peak, motivating the youngest son to use his fists to take out his frustrations and rage on those who teased him.

"When I was a little kid, I was always fighting,” Alvarez said. “I was always beating the other kids up.”

Alvarez found his way to Guadalajara's famed Julian Magdaleno Gym, where the father-and-son training team of Chepo and Eddy Reynoso quickly took notice and nicknamed him, “Canelo,” the Spanish word for “Cinnamon.”

Canelo was 11 when he watched elder sibling Rigoberto's professional debut. Rigoberto held an interim world title at junior middleweight.

"My older brother is the one who got me started in boxing," Canelo said. "He's the one who inspired me."

Canelo went 44–2 (12 KOs) as an amateur starting at the age of 13, winning a silver medal at the Junior Mexican National Championships and becoming the Junior Mexican National Champion after that. After two years, the Reynosos convinced Alvarez’s parents to let their youngest son turn pro because they could no longer find amateur opponents.

Teen titan

A 15-year-old Alvarez made his professional debut with a fourth-round TKO of Abraham Gonzalez in September 2005, also stopping his second opponent, Pablo Alvarado, in the second round that November. 

Alvarez went 6-0-1 (5 KOs) in 2006, winning a split-decision in just his third fight over future champion Wilfredo Vasquez (January) and battling to a draw with Jorge Juarez (June) in his fifth bout. 

In 2007, Alvarez stopped five opponents in seven victories, even as he had to go the distance for 10- and 12-round unanimous decisions over Christian Solano and Ricardo Cano on August 18th and 31st.  

Alvarez rose to 23-0-1 (16 KOs) in 2008 by going 8-0 (4 KOs), including a pair of first-round knockouts. That run included an 11th-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Gabriel Martinez in April, a 10-round unanimous decision in a rematch with Wilfredo Vazquez in June, and a first-round TKO of hammer-fisted Raul Pinzon in December. 

Martinez entered at 17-0-1 (9 KOs), and Pinzon at 16-1 (15 KOs), the latter having previously lost by a 10-round, majority decision to then undefeated, Euri Gonzalez, who entered their bout with a mark of 14-0-1. Alvarez had fought almost exclusively in Mexico before hammering Pinzon at Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort in Miami.

A Heavy Hitter

So talented was Alvarez that, in 2009, he stopped six straight opponents.  Among Alvarez’s stoppages in 2009 were that in the first round over Luis Antonio Fitch (January), an 11th-round TKO of Euri Gonzalez (February) and a 10th-round TKO of Carlose Leonardo Herrera (September).

Alvarez ended the year with a near shutout 12-round unanimous decision (119-110 twice, 120-108) that December over Lanardo Tyner, who entered at 21-2 (13 KOs).

The stoppage streak continued for Alvarez in 2010, where he went 5-0 (4 KOs).   

That run included a three-knockdown third-round of Brian Camechis (March), a one-knockdown, ninth-round TKO of Jose Miguel Cotto (May) and a two-knockdown, sixth-round TKO of Luciano Leonel Cuello (July).

Cotto entered at 31-1-1 (23 KOs) and is the older brother of the-former three-time, world champion, Miguel Cotto. Cuello came in at 26-1 (12 KOs), his lone previous loss coming by decision to former champion Julio Cesar Chavez. 

There was also a one-knockdown ninth-round knockout of former champion Carlos Baldomir (September).

Alvarez used a short, yet powerful overhand right to floor Baldomir, who pitched forward face-first, sat up and rolled to his right but could not beat the count. 

In defeating Baldomir, Alvarez stopped for only the second time in his career a man who had gone the distance with former champions Floyd Mayweather and Vernon Forrest. Baldomir’s biggest wins had been against champions Joshua Clottey, Zab Judah and Arturo Gatti, the latter by ninth-round knockout.

Alvarez ended 2010 with December’s unanimous decision over Lovemore Ndou. 

Becoming World Champion, Beating World Champions

Alvarez went 4-0 (3 KOs) in 2011, following a 12-round unanimous decision over Englishman Matthew Hatton (March) for the WBC super welterweight crown in with TKOs over Ryan Rhodes (June), Alfonso Gomez (September) and former champion Kermit Cintron (November).

Alvarez ended Hatton’s 8-0-1 unbeaten streak, and Rhodes was riding a 10-bout winning streak that included eight knockouts. Gomez had won five straight bouts, including a sixth-round stoppage of former belt holder Jose Luis Castillo, and had also defeated Arturo Gatti by a sixth-round knockout.

In 2012, Alvarez’s fourth and fifth title defenses came via a 12-round unanimous decision over three-division champion and two-time Oscar De La Hoya-conqueror Shane Mosley (May) and a three-knockdown, fifth-round stoppage of Josesito Lopez (September). 

Alvarez scored a unanimous decision unification victory over southpaw Austin Trout in April 2013, adding Trout’s WBA crown to his WBC title. But Alvarez’s six title defenses were ended by a majority decision loss to the great Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September 2013, a bout that dethroned the then-23-year-old as WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion.

Alvarez rebounded in 2014 with a 10th-round TKO of former champion Alfredo Angulo in March followed in July by a split-decision over left-handed Cuban two-division champion Erislandy Lara, the latter entering at 19-1-2 (12 KOs).

In 2015, Alvarez followed a third-round TKO of left-handed title challenger James Kirkland (May) – who entered at 32-1 (28 KOs) – by earning his second crown in as many divisions via unanimous decision, dethroning Puerto Rican four-division titlist and legend Miguel Cotto (November) as WBC middleweight champion.

“Canelo is precise, economical and we’re starting to see more wrinkles in his game as he grows exponentially in the footwork, head movement, feints and the way he parries shots,” said boxing commentator Ray Flores. “Oh, and by the way, he hits like a Mack truck, which makes him the most complete fighter we’ve seen in a long time.”

Alvarez made two title defenses in 2016, a sixth-round knockout of Amir Khan (May) and a three-knockdown, ninth-round KO of Liam Smith (September), who entered at 23-0-1 (16 KOs).

In 2017, Alvarez rose in weight for a non-title unanimous decision victory in a 164-pound all-Mexican clash over former champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (May) before battling to a draw with unbeaten IBF/WBA/WBC title holder Gennady Golovkin (September).

Becoming a Legend

Alvarez and Golovkin met again in September 2018. This time, “Canelo” outboxed and outpunched Golovkin to win a 12-round majority decision victory, dethroning Golovkin and becoming the new unified world middleweight world champion. In December 2018, he would move up to super middleweight and capture the WBA title with a four-knockdown, third-round TKO of champion Rocky Fielding. 

Back at 160 in May 2019, Alvarez won a 12-round unanimous decision over southpaw Daniel Jacobs, adding Jacobs’ IBF crown to his WBA and WBC titles. 

Alvarez then rose two weight classes in November 2019 to become a four-division champion, scoring a sensational 11th-round knockout over WBO 175-pound titleholder Sergey Kovalev. The KO left “The Crusher” on his knees, out cold and sagging against ring ropes that held him up. 

Returning to 168 in December 2020, Alvarez won a 12-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Callum Smith in a clash for the division’s WBA and WBC crowns. The younger brother of Liam Smith, Callum entered at 27-0 (19 KOs).

Now the face of boxing, Alvarez kicked off 2021 with a third-round KO of challenger Avni Yildirum in February. He added the WBO 168-pound title to his collection that May when he stopped previously unbeaten southpaw Billy Joe Saunders (May) in front of a raucous crowd of 73,126 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

The win set the stage for a showdown versus undefeated IBF super middleweight champ Caleb Plant in a battle to crown the first ever undisputed 168-pound champion in the four-belt era. The highly anticipated battle took place on November 6, 2021, in front of a sold-out crowd at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Plant flashed the boxing skills that made him a champion but Alvarez was unrelenting, scoring two knockdowns in the eleventh to force a stoppage in that frame and not only become the first undisputed 168-pound champion in the four-belt era but also being the first fighter of Mexican descent to accomplish the feat.

By defeating Plant, Alvarez had secured his fifth stoppage in seven bouts, a victory over an undefeated champion for the seventh time, and one over an unbeaten rival for the eighth, all on the 45th birthday of his trainer, Eddy Reynoso.

“This means so much for the history of Mexico to become an undisputed champion,” Alvarez said. “There are only six undisputed champions in history. It keeps me happy and very motivated to be one of the six.”

Alvarez split bouts in 2022, losing by unanimous decision to unbeaten WBA 175-pound champion Dimitrio Bivol in May before dominating Golovkin via unanimous decision in their third bout to to successfully defend his undisputed 168-pound title.  

In May 2022, Alvarez notched his sixth defense of those belts, winning a wide unanimous decision over John Ryder. 

Alvarez’s legacy places in rare air among his countrymen, which includes greats such as as three-division champions Julio Cesar Chavez and Marco Antonio Barrera, four-division title winners Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales and long-reigning champions Salvador Sanchez and Ruben Olivares.

“I’m not afraid to say that Canelo is on top of all the great Mexican fighters,” said three-time champion Abner Mares. “Right now Canelo is the man. He is the face of boxing. Every Mexican champion deserves his respect, and Canelo has done it in his time.”

“I don’t want to compare myself to great Mexican champions of the past," Alvarez said. “I just want to go out and make my own history. In the end, I want to be considered one of the best along with the legends who came before me.”

UNDISPUTED VS. UNDISPUTED

On Saturday, September 30, 2023, Alvarez took on Junior Middleweight King Jermell "Iron Man" Charlo in a battle of undisputed world champions at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In this battle between two future Hall of Famers, it was no contest. Álvarez successfully defended his world titles by dropping Jermell Charlo on his way to a dominant unanimous decision (119-109, 118-109 twice).

“I’m a strong fighter all the time, against all the fighters,” said Canelo. “I’m a strong man. Nobody can beat this Canelo.”

Canelo (60-2-2, 39 KOs) was dominant from start to finish, using the masterful ring IQ and sublime power to flummox Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs). 

Charlo’s defense first showed cracks in the early rounds when Canelo’s signature power hooks to the body had a clear effect on him and forced him to focus largely on defense in the first half of the fight. In round seven, Canelo broke through with a looping overhand right that stunned Charlo and forced him to take a knee. Charlo beat the count, but could never get back into the fight. Canelo dominated the CompuBox stats as well as the scorecards, owning a 134 to 71 advantage in total punches landed, including an impressive 42 body shots. 

“We worked on attacking the body,” said Canelo. “We know he’s a great fighter. He knows how to move in the ring. We worked on attacking the body for three months. For three months in the mountains without my family, without everything.”

The championship rounds saw more of the same as Canelo cruised to the final bell while being serenaded with chants from his thousands of loyal fans in attendance. After thanking his legions of supporters, Canelo declared himself open to facing anyone next. 

“I still love boxing,” said Canelo. “I love boxing so much. Boxing is my life. Boxing made me the person I am today. That’s why I love boxing so much. And I love boxing so much because of my fans, too…Cinco de Mayo I’ll face whoever. I don’t care.”