When he steps into the ring with Caleb Plant on Saturday night, Canelo Alvarez can take comfort from the fact that he has already faced a much bigger threat. 

Earlier this year the Mexican revealed his brother was kidnapped just days before his fight against Rocky Fielding in December 2018 and he had to negotiate the release. 

Alvarez, 33, became a three-weight world champion by comfortably dispatching Fielding at Madison Square Garden to win the WBA super-middleweight title.  

What is even more remarkable is that Canelo was dealing with something far worse behind the scenes after his brother was abducted and held for ransom.

It meant his preparations were severely disrupted in the build-up.

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But Canelo wasn't going to let anything get in the way of his plans for world domination.

Canelo recalled how he dealt with the terrible ordeal during an appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger earlier this year.  

He said: “2018, Monday before the fight. I was informed.

"Over the phone, I negotiated all the - I negotiated everything for his release.

"For three days, I negotiated with those a------- so they would let him go. Three days.

Rocky Fielding was beaten by Canelo Alvarez in December 2018

"After I negotiated, I was still thinking, imagine if this had been my daughter, my mother, my father. For me it would've been more difficult.

"And on top of that I had to fight on Saturday, and a thousand interviews and everything, no one knew anything.

"And that's what I'm getting at, everybody thinks, wow, you know, they see me up there and say, 'Wow, it's very easy'.

"But nothing is easy in this life, everything is difficult."

MORE: Canelo Alvarez vs Caleb Plant: Date, UK Start Time, Ring Walks, Card, Live Stream, Odds, Tickets, Stats And Everything You Need To Know

Canelo confirmed that he directly got in contact with the kidnappers to arrange his brother's release with the help of a family friend, though he did not reveal the terms of the arrangement. 

He added: “I was never concerned that [he would not come home].

“But I always think this is the most difficult thing for me because it’s everything for me. It’s f------ difficult.

“I was texting my friend, ‘Say this, say this,’ and my friend was saying, ‘They said this, tell him this.’

“So f------ difficult…

Canelo Alvarez will fight Caleb Plant on Saturday night

“When you hear, ‘My brother is kidnapped,’ you’re f------ crazy. You’re going crazy in that moment.

“I had a think inside and said, ‘I wanna have a resolution for this situation.’

“Thank God [he ended up being okay]. Thank God because it’s very difficult when you have that kind of thing, you run and never come back.

“I have my brother, thank God.”

READ MORE: Canelo Alvarez warned not to underestimate Caleb Plant as the American is a 'very good fighter'

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