Canelo Alvarez has vowed that this weekend’s super-middleweight bout with challenger Caleb Plant will be “different” to the chaotic scrap which the two were caught up in at a press conference in September.
The pair traded blows in an intense atmosphere but both sought to talk up their chances and play down the previous incident in a final press event ahead of their Las Vegas meeting in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“It’s different when you’re in the ring,” explained WBC, WBA and WBO belt holder Canelo. “It’s way different, so I don’t take nothing from that.”
The Mexican is aiming to become his nation’s first undisputed super-middleweight champion, whose sole career loss so far came in a 2013 defeat to Floyd Mayweather on a points decision in 2013.
“That’s the goal, to be an all-time great,” said the 31-year-old. “I’m so proud of trying to achieve that. I’m never going to stop until I try my best to be one of the all-time greats.
“Only one thing goes through my mind, and that’s winning. That’s the only thing I’m concerned about. Everything else is beyond me. The only thing I care about is what’s going to happen inside the ring on Saturday night.”
IBF champion Plant agreed with his opponent that their brawl did not merit the attention it received, saying: “It wasn’t my intention to get under his skin. Then again, I think you guys make a lot more of it than we do. I’m sure me and him both have been in worse scuffles than that and I’m sure most people in this room have been in worse scuffles than that.
“Again, like he said, when the bell rings, it’s completely different. I don’t take anything away from the press conference. Just by any means necessary of getting the job done,” added Plant. “I feel like not just myself, my team, we’ve done that this far to get to this point.
29-year-old Tennessee-native Plant has a flawless record of 21 wins from 21 fights, and has successfully defended his IBF three times.
“Me, whether it’s in boxing or whatever, by any means necessary I’ve got here,” he added. “I’ve had plenty of chances to bow out. I’ve had plenty of chances to step away and say, ‘No, I’m done, I’ve had enough,’ and I haven’t. Saturday night, I just can’t wait for the bell to ring.”
