Avila Perspective, Chap. 159: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez or Caleb Plant?

Avila Perspective, Chap. 159: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez or Caleb Plant?

LAS VEGAS-After nearly four decades of motoring through the Mojave Desert toward Las Vegas like Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson in “Play It to the Bone,” or streaking through night skies bandit-like in the film noir classic “Detour,” the journey remains the journey.

When Mexico’s Alvarez steps in the middle of the ring to meet Tennessee’s Plant in a super middleweight clash to decide the undisputed title on Saturday Nov. 6, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, it’s another of thousands of prizefights witnessed by this reporter.

Showtime pay-per-view will televise the Premier Boxing Champions event.

I’m beginning to feel like the Watcher in the early 1960s who popped up in numerous Marvel Comics. I must not interfere.

Yet, I was there to witness an unknown redhead with freckles and a mystified look follow sage trainer Jose “Chepo” Reynoso and son Eddy Reynoso at the Morongo Casino in 2008. Canelo, as he was already nicknamed, was making his first appearance in the U.S. and unaware of the obstacles to be encountered. He prevailed. Barely.

I was also present to see Plant’s first professional contest at LA’s Galen Center seven years ago. It was also the last time I would ever see the late great promoter Dan Goossen who would pass away four months later in September 2014. Plant won, of course. And he’s been winning ever since.

And here they are, their trajectories finally intersect.

Canelo must feel as if born with laced-up gloves. The Guadalajara prizefighter has been stepping through ropes as a professional since he was 15 years old. He’s traded blows in 59 previous fights including matches against the wizardry of Floyd Mayweather, the experience of Miguel Cotto, the powerful Gennady Golovkin and the much taller Callum Smith.

“The goal is to be an all-time great. I’m so proud of the journey I’ve taken to achieve that. I’m not going to stop until I’ve tried my best to reach that goal,” Alvarez said during the press conference on Wednesday.

Plant has been blessed with physical tools you can’t teach and the agility of a gazelle. Smart enough to know he could not prevail to championship heights by remaining in Tennessee, he moved to Las Vegas. Though not matched against any of the monsters of his division, he still has shown dominance over those he encountered like Jose Uzcategui and Caleb Truax. No slip-ups.

“People are going to say what they’re going to say. But I get the final say and I can’t wait to prove everything in the ring. I can’t focus on what other people say about me. If I listened to the doubters, I wouldn’t even be here,” said Plant.

But as the saying goes, anything can happen in boxing.

I’ve seen unknown pugilists from Central America come to the US and dethrone pound for pound champs like Vernon Forrest not once, but twice. Or seemingly unbeatable champs like Roy Jones Jr. get knocked out cold as in his second encounter with Antonio Tarver. Or granite-chinned fighters like Manny Pacquiao be rendered unconscious by a single punch from Juan Manuel Marquez.

What appears to be a mismatch on paper can be quite the opposite. Its why they fight.

Mikaela and Maiva

A super fight of the female variety takes place when WBO super featherweight titlist Mikaela Mayer (15-0, 5 KOs) of the USA meets IBF titlist Maiva Hamadouche (22-1, 18 KOs) of France in a unification clash on Friday Nov. 5, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Expect a ferocious encounter.

Despite a language barrier, these two champions have tossed verbal grenades at each other for more than two years. Each accuses the other of avoidance and finally, they are here to decide who is real and who is imitation.

Hamadouche, a French police officer, has a wrecking ball approach to prizefighting that she tried to utilize in an attempt to make the French Olympic boxing team. She failed. But as a pro she has mauled and brawled her way to the top since becoming a world champion back in 2016. She managed to win the IBF belt by decision over American-based fighter Jennifer Salinas. Now she fights another American-based fighter for only the second time.

“I believe my experience will be the difference. I’m very aggressive and very physical,” said Hamadouche, 31. “I will come at her like no other fighter has come at her before.”

Since turning professional Mayer, a former US Olympian, has blazed her way to the top. She remains Top Rank’s only female fighter and has proven to be able to adapt to the professional style with ease. Of all the super featherweight champions Mayer is the tallest and knew how to use her physical tools coupled with her mental toughness to defeat Poland’s Ewa Brodnicka for the WBO title and defend against former pound for pound fighter Erica Farias.

“This is my chance to show I’m the best fighter in the division,” Mayer said at the press conference on Wednesday. “Winning this fight and performing very well will put me as the top player in the division.”

The entire fight world awaits the outcome of this super featherweight clash. Next week, another American, Alycia Baumgardner, challenges England’s Terri Harper for the WBC title overseas. Supposedly, the winners will meet each other early next year.

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 11 a.m. Matteo Signani (30-5-3) vs Ruben Diaz (26-2-2).

Fri. ESPN+ 4:55 p.m. Mikaela Mayer (15-0) vs Maiva Hamadouche (22-1).

Sat. Showtime ppv 6 p.m. Saul Alvarez (56-1-2) vs Caleb Plant (21-0); Elvis Rodriguez (11-1-1) vs Juan Pablo Romero (14-0); Rey Vargas (34-0) vs Leonardo Baez (21-4).

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