Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 55-1-2 (37) has named three undefeated boxers he would like to fight next.
The 30-year-old WBC and WBA super middleweight champion is scheduled to have his third fight in five months when he takes on WBO titleholder Billy Joe Saunders 30-0 (14) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday night.
And true to form, Alvarez already has three more fighters in his sights: IBF super middleweight champion Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant 21-0 (12), WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo 31-0 (22) and former WBC champion and ‘El Bandera Roja’ Benavidez 24-0 (21).
“That’s what I want, all of the titles in this division,” Alvarez said on the Last Stand Podcast with Brian Custer. “My first move is Billy Joe Saunders, of course. I need to win and then the next champion is Caleb Plant and that’s the goal.”
A fight against Charlo would likely have to take place at 168-pounds with Alvarez outgrowing the 160-pound division.
“Yes, why not for the people. Maybe for me it’s hard to make 160 now but let’s see for the future,” said Alvarez, who added about Benavidez: “Why not? It would be a great fight with David Benavidez. I just want to make fights people want to see.”
One boxer he doesn’t see himself facing anytime soon is WBO middleweight champion Demetrius ‘Boo Boo’ Andrade 30-0 (18).
“He’s fought nobody yet,” he said. “You see the record but he’s fighting with nobody. I have other plans!”
Alvarez famously struggled with southpaw Erislandy Lara 28-3-3 (16) seven years ago and will face another lefty in Saunders.
“I have more experience now. I’ve got to have more patience with a fighter like Billy Joe Saunders because he moves a lot and I can’t go in there and try and rip his head off,” Alvarez said to FightHub TV.
“In the first round, I got to come out patient and find the points to begin hitting him and fight my fight. I have so much more experience now compared to six to seven years ago.
“I’m much more mature now with experience in my prime.”
Alvarez believes he can breakdown Saunders and stop him late in the fight.
“In the first rounds, a little complicated, but in the later rounds, I can probably win by knockout,” he said.
Alvarez is a promotional free agent but has developed a good working relationship with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, who has promoted his last two fights.
“I’m still a free agent. I signed these fights with him [Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing], but I can do whatever I want, make my own decisions as my own promoter,” he said.
“But we like working with Eddie. He does things well and worries about the things he does and does them well. He focuses 100% on his work as a promoter.”