'I'll fight everybody' - Canelo Alvarez plots out his path to history

LAS VEGAS — Canelo Alvarez stood in the center of the ring draped with four world titles. At long last, he was the undisputed super middleweight champion, accomplishing the goal he set out when he commenced his 168-pound campaign in December 2020.

The 11th-round TKO victory over Caleb Plant in November to win all four major world titles lifted the Mexican star to new heights. Already cemented as an all-time great with unified title runs at 154 and 160 pounds, an undisputed championship at 168 and a title victory at 175, what more was left to accomplish?

That question has become the guiding force to how Alvarez is currently navigating his career. His mantra: «Continue to make history.»

As boxing's top attraction, Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) calls the shots and fights whomever he wants. He already has mapped out his 2022 campaign, a shift from past years when he often scrambled to maintain his choice fight weekends as negotiations dragged on.

First, Alvarez will embark on a quest to recapture a light heavyweight title on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena here against Russia's Dmitry Bivol (8 p.m. ET, DAZN PPV), but the fight that will truly add to his legacy lies ahead. If Alvarez defeats Bivol — and emerges without injury — he'll meet archnemesis Gennadiy Golovkin on Sept. 17.

«They want the fight with Golovkin, so I say, 'Why not?'» Alvarez said. «Everybody wants the fight, right? Maybe a little late; maybe not.»

The long-awaited trilogy matchup — four years in the making — is «for the fans,» Alvarez said, but it also will serve to settle unfinished business after 24 rounds couldn't separate the future Hall of Famers. The third bout with GGG is simply a detour from his ultimate goal, though. This fight with Bivol at 175 pounds