The Mexican star competed at featherweight almost a decade ago. He faced James Kirkland (32-1, 28 KOs) in May 2015, and Alvarez won by an impressive third-round knockout. Before that, though, the American was able to land a few punches, and they made a formidable impression on the favorite.
"What I remember most was the power of James Kirkland's punching. At one point he hit me dirty and I caught a punch in the shoulder. No one had ever hit me that hard before or since. I thought to myself: "Damn, what would happen if he gave me a blow to the head like that?". So I changed tactics and decided to try to knock him out faster," Canelo recalled.