Canelo Alvarezdidn’t make it to the pinnacle of boxing by chance. It has taken decades of hard work, including rigorous training regiments that have transformed his body into a synergy of raw strength.
That power has allowed him to win 60 of 64 fights, 39 of which have been by knockout. In fights where he doesn’t get a KO or TKO, most of the time it’s because the opponent is avoiding said power. And when they do try to attack, they can rarely hit him due to his quick reflexes and quick-twitch head movement.
WATCH: Canelo Alvarez’s extreme neck workout
A big reason for that impressive head movement is strong muscles in his neck area. When the camera pans to Canelo in the ring before a fight, he’s constantly moving his head and neck around to keep them flexible. Canelo’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, recently shared video of Canelo training his neck.
Regular folks should probably not try that exercise at home. Canelo is built different, and that one could lead to a neck or back strain for just about everyone else.
Alvarez is fresh off of a big win over Jermell Charlo in which he defended his undisputed super middleweight belts. Canelo is already back in the gym not even a month later, although his next opponent is not yet known. Neither is the date of his next fight.
Rumors of a Jaime Munguia matchup in May have been floating around, but taking on David Benavidez next September appears to be the likeliest course of action.