Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty
All hail the king of the ring.
On Saturday night in Las Vegas,The Rolling Stoneswere playing at a football stadium to a sold out crowd, but one man was performing less than a mile away who had an entire arena and, for that matter, an entire nation under his thumb: Saul Canelo Álvarez.
Canelo, as he’s commonly known, is the greatest Mexican fighter to ever live.
That’s not hyperbole either, as the 31-year-old bested Caleb Plant at MGM Grand Garden arena, taking home the IBF title. With the win (which happened in front ofDave Chappelle,Henry Golding, and other sports icons), Álvarez is now just the sixth male boxer in history to hold all four titles in the same weight class from all the major boxing sanctioning bodies. He the only Mexican fighter to do so.
“The goal is to be an all-time great,” he said as 17,000 fans chanted his name at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday. “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.”
After his 11th round knockout, Álvarez, appropriately wearing gold shorts bearing the name of sponsor Hennessy, donned a matching gold crown in the center of the ring, essentially signifying that he’s boxing’s new ruler.
Álvarez already is an all-time great and a shoo-in first-ballot hall of famer. In boxing, he’s beloved. In his native Mexico, he’s a God. And if you think Las Vegas is flashy, Álvarez could give the town a run for its money. A peek through Álvarez’s Instagram shows him traveling via private jets, relaxing on yachts, flaunting his car collection, and wearing designer clothes — living the good life. On the Showtime series All Access, which promoted the fight, Álvarez even wore Dolce & Gabbana training shorts adorned with Swarovski crystals.
For his fight on Saturday, Álvarez netted a reported $40 million. His projected career earnings could see him becoming a billionaire.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The Guadalajara, Mexico, native — who has Hollywood good looks and, his lavish Instagram not withstanding, a humble personality — has worked for what he has. He now gets to reap the rewards.
Although he’s got many fights left in him, Álvarez has already made it publicly known that he intends to retire from boxing at the age of 37 so that he can golf everyday.
There’s also theother side of the elite athlete, the family side. A father to three daughters and a son, Álvarez recently spoke to Lili, Emily, andGloria EstefanonRed Table Talk: The Estefansabout separating the family man from the bruiser.
“I’m not sure how I’ve done it, but I know how to separate one from the other,” he said. “And when I get into the ring, I leave everything else behind.”
King Canelo has spoken.
source: people.com
