Throughout his remarkable career, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has squared off against some of the most formidable names in boxing. Debuting at just 15 years old in 2005, the Mexican powerhouse shows no signs of slowing down nearly two decades later.

Canelo’s impressive journey has led him to become a four-weight world champion, starting with his first title victory in 2011 against Matthew Hatton. He later achieved the status of undisputed champion at super-middleweight, defeating notable opponents like Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders, and Caleb Plant.

Over the years, Canelo has faced some of the sport’s all-time greats, including Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Sergey Kovalev, and Dmitry Bivol. His record includes only two losses: to Mayweather and Bivol.

However, when asked to identify the toughest fight of his illustrious career, Canelo surprised many by naming an opponent not typically associated with his greatest challenges: “Gennady Golovkin.”

Canelo and Golovkin engaged in a storied trilogy, starting in September 2017 at middleweight, which concluded in a controversial draw—many believed Golovkin deserved the win. Their rivalry continued a year later, with Canelo narrowly edging out Golovkin by majority decision, handing him the first loss of his professional career.

The two met for the third time in 2022, this time at super-middleweight, where Canelo emerged victorious once more with a unanimous decision, leaving no room for debate. This record means Canelo remains the only fighter to defeat Golovkin in his 45-fight career