The story of Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez is like a fairy tale.
The red-haired boy who sold popsicles on the streets of Guadalajara, the Mexican city where he was born, became a world boxing champion and is one of the most successful sports figures in the world.
Alvarez is scheduled to defend his WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles against Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Mexican champion comes to the fight with a record of 61 wins (39 knockouts), two losses and two draws, while his challenger, born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, has an undefeated record of 22 wins, 17 by knockout.
Alvarez is an acclaimed boxer, but there are many things fans don’t know about him. Here are a few:
He overcame bullying
The Mexican fighter often shows his braveness in the ring. He acquired that quality after suffering bullying as a child, and that’s when he learned to defend himself using his fists.
What was his first salary?
The Guadalajara native started boxing when he was 13. On one occasion, he confessed the salary for his first fight was $45. Alvarez now earns over $45 million per fight.
What are his favorite foods?
Canelo delights his palate in various parts of the world, but he has his favorite dishes. He is a fan of tacos al pastor and prefers a delicious beef broth. In addition, the champion is a sushi lover.
He lives off his interests
Alvarez does not need to fight to earn millions. With what he has earned in recent years, he currently lives only off the interests generated by his businesses. The boxer revealed that his investments generated a monthly profit of $1.5 million.
How many children does he have?
The super middleweight champion has four children, all with different partners: Emily Cinnamon, Mía Ener, María Fernanda and Saúl Adiel.
What are his hobbies?
He is a horse lover, a collector of luxury cars and an avid golfer.
He is a top-earning athlete
Canelo remains in the top 15 of the best-paid athletes in the world. With earnings of $85 million last year, Canelo ranked 14th on the Forbes list. Forbes used earnings between May 1, 2023, and May 1, 2024, to compile its list.
Information from the Agencia Reforma wire service was used to compile this report.
How to watch the fight
The card will begin at 7 p.m. (Dallas time) Saturday and will be available as a Prime Video pay-per-view. The cost is $89.95 and can be purchased here.
The broadcast includes middleweight champion Erislandy Lara taking on Danny Garcia, Caleb Plant taking on undefeated Trevor McCumby, and Rolando “Rolly” Romero fighting Manuel Jaimes.
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