Canelo Alvarez talks Caleb Plant ahead of undisputed title bout

Canelo Alvarez joins Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole to preview his fight versus Caleb Plant for the undisputed super middleweight title.

Video Transcript

KEVIN IOLE: Hey folks, I am Kevin Iole. Welcome to Yahoo Sports. Saturday Night at the MGM Grand, The Big One. Canelo Alvarez goes for history looking for the undisputed Super Middleweight Championship, becoming the first Latino to win an undisputed championship if he can do it. He is fighting Caleb Plant and he joins me right now.

Canelo, hard feelings between you and Caleb Plant. Where did this come from?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Well, I don't know. I really don't know. But, the last press conference in LA, going crazy though. So maybe from there.

KEVIN IOLE: Do you feel like Caleb Plant is a threat? Like I know you looked at Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith as a threat. Do you feel like he's a threat commensurate with those guys? Is he at that same level as they are?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Yeah, maybe. We'll see Saturday night. But maybe he's in their level. He's a champion for a reason, right?

KEVIN IOLE: What impresses you about him when you watch him? Is there anything that he does? You're a smart boxing guy. And you know that. Is there anything he does that you look at and say, boy, that's pretty good.

CANELO ALVAREZ: Look, I always wait and I want to see in the ring. Because it's easy to say outside the ring, or looking outside the ring, and say, I can do this and this. But it's hard to do when you're in the ring. So I need to see in the ring. But I just see a guy with a good skills, boxing skills, good jab. But is nothing new for me.

KEVIN IOLE: Most boxers that I know of say they don't want to fight angry because if they fight angry it takes them off their game plan. It seemed like you get a little better when you're angry. Like you're mad, you want to punish him.

CANELO ALVAREZ: Yeah, it's good to fight angry. Just you just need to be smart to do it.

KEVIN IOLE: So like you know, I think of like basically back when Muhammad Ali was a young fighter. And you know some people called him Cassius Clay. And he got angry at that. So he hurt them on purpose to try to make up for that. Is that what you do with Caleb Plant? Will you go looking forward to being able to punish him a little extra if you can as opposed to just knocking him out.

CANELO ALVAREZ: For sure. You will see.

KEVIN IOLE: You have become such a devastating body puncher over the last number of years. You know, I think you've always been a good body puncher, but really you know a devastating body puncher. Is that something that you and Eddie Reynoso have really worked on and thought has been important for your development?

CANELO ALVAREZ: We work-- we're working all the time for that. But before I got-- I lose a little-- too much weight. So I lost my power. I lost everything in the weight. So maybe that's a reason.

KEVIN IOLE: Did you feel like against Billy Joe Saunders, you know, he got off to a fairly good start. But as you were working the body and you just really committed to it the whole way, could you see as the fight got going that maybe your body attack was making an impact?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Yeah I always say, body punches is really good in the fight. And I say in the fight with Billy Joe Saunders, the first round is going to be difficult, like I say. But I call eight, nine rounds, so. And I did.

KEVIN IOLE: Why is it so important to you to become an undisputed world champion? Because you know, titles get stripped after you win them. It's hard to defend them. So why even go after this? What was the motivation for this?

CANELO ALVAREZ: Oh, this fight, maybe it's the most important of my legacy. Because the magnitude, right? The first Latino can accomplish, this is huge for my legacy. So that's why it's very important for me.

KEVIN IOLE: And finally, I'm just kind of curious. Will you look to defend the 68 pound title if you win, if you keep it. Or will you look to move up and do something else?

CANELO ALVAREZ: We'll see. We're focusing 100% on this fight and then we'll see.

KEVIN IOLE: Good luck Saturday night. I was going to say T-Mobile. MGM Grand. You're going up against Caleb Plant for the undisputed Super Middleweight title. Canelo Alvarez. Best of luck to you.

CANELO ALVAREZ: Thank you, Kevin.

KEVIN IOLE: See you.