Boxing Legend Canelo Álvarez: How Meditation CHANGED My Life & Helps Me WIN!

0:00Nobody, nobody believes in me before. And I showed them what person can accomplish with determination, with that, believing in yourself and everything. And I'm just starting. And now, entering the arena, here is the pound for pound king, Saul Penelo Armourin! Vegetation changed my mind. I'm feeling my best. I feel not just in boxing, in life. Do you have any fear when you fight today? I never feel fear, really. What is it you want your legacy to be after that last match? One of the best in the history of boxing. And I'm gonna cry that day when you walk into the ring and hear all the people screaming and the singing, that song you put and everything.

1:06I'm gonna miss that moment.

1:12Hey guys, we're here in a remote location and we just interviewed Canelo, the greatest boxer arguably of all time. And it's been amazing to see behind the scenes. We're here, we're here, he actually trains, some of his shoes, some of his gloves, you know, you've got the bag, you've got Canelo right here, the logo. So we've got his shoes and gloves over here that are actually drying, getting ready for a session, sparring session later. And we've got the ring behind, so I'll show you really quick. All right. It's pretty cool. And one of the things that I was really impressed and inspired about him was his commitment and his passion for his sport, for his family, for the team that he's been with for a long time, and for just the process of being a champion.

1:56and he really talks about not having the fear of pursuing your dreams and pursuing your passions, but loving the process. Again, we're in this remote location. He's got his pulse set up. He's got a detailed regimen every single day. Train, rest, run, rest, you know, think about and visualize. He's just getting into meditation. So it's so cool to see after nearly 20 years, almost two decades of mastering his craft and being at the top of his game, he's learning meditation this year. And he's talking about how it's changing his mind. It's changing his life. It's changing his ability to bring the power to his fights by adding more skills.

2:39So he's not slowing down. He's only getting better. He's only improving himself even more. And I think it's really cool to see someone after this many years who has made so much money, hundreds of millions of dollars in his career. All the businesses, all the success, all the fame. He's a king in his country. People of Mexico love this man. It's so cool to see that he's humble, to see that he talks about love, that he talks about his passion. And I just think that's really cool. So we're here in this location. It was an amazing experience to watch him behind the scenes, to connect with him. And I hope you enjoy this interview.

3:19The first thing I want to ask you, you've almost been boxing for 20 years, almost two decades. Yeah. Is there a difference between how you trained early on when you were a nobody the first few years in your teens versus how you train now, mentally, physically? Is there a difference? If so, what is that difference? Mentally, I think it's the same mentality, the same hungry, you know? For me, I train my mind is always try to get more. Try to get more history to my career. And it's never enough for me. Really? It's never enough for me. I always train so hard because I started like that. training so hard because in my mind always when I was a kid I say I want to be a champion and then I realized I accomplished that champion and I say it's something else more it's something else there so I always my mind is always it's never enough for my mind right I always trained so hard and I and I love boxing so much I enjoy it I enjoy it I still enjoy it you still enjoy it but it's almost been 20 years right 20 years 19 professional 19 professional what is the three greatest lessons that boxing has taught you in almost 20 years of boxing it's gonna be very difficult to pick three lessons because i think the man i am right now i i learned from from boxing because my whole life I I give my whole life to to boxing I think boxing teach me everything everything bad and goods and and everything I think I think boxing made me we made you yeah what is the what is the lesson that you would you would say to your younger self with all the wisdom and experience you have now.

5:30It's the only thing I can I can say to to them like if you're 15 in front of my my my son and say you you you can do whatever you want it just you need to be able to to have able to sacrifices discipline and hard work. Yes and have a good mentality because if you have that trees three things discipline uh, sacrifices and, and, and... Hard work. Hard work. But if you don't have that mentality, it's gonna be very difficult. How do you keep the, the hunger alive inside of you for so long though? Because you were starting out as a young man wanting to be a champion, you became a champion, but how do you continue year after year to stay hungry and love us so much?

6:20I don't know. I don't know. I always say because I love what I do. and I have that passion on me and I love what I do and I enjoy it. And I'm that kind of man. I'm that kind of person who says, if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do 100%. No in the middle, no 90%, no 100%. I always try to do my best and try to do my everything. And I think because I love what I do. How do you manage fear? Did you have a lot of fear growing up as you started fighting? And do you have any fear when you fight today? I never feel fear. Really? In boxing. I never feel how it's like to feel that fear. I always enjoy it.

7:11I just enjoy it a lot. My favorite day, my favorite thing is sparring days and a fight day. I just enjoy it a lot. Yeah. I enjoy it, and I never have that experience to feel the fear or something. When you became a champion, world champion, did you feel fear to lose that ever? Really? No, never. Never feel that fear. Why not? Did someone teach you how to overcome fear? I don't know. I just, I always say because I really enjoy boxing. I really love boxing. I really love being in the ring fighting. I never thinking about if this happened. I always go with that mentality to win and enjoy. Do you ever, when you're preparing for a fight, do you ever think about, well, what happens if I get knocked down or if I lose, will I feel bad?

8:10I never think about losing. I never think about losing. I always think and train for the win. Yes. And yes, I do. I think about if I get knocked out, how I'm gonna react. And we train about everything. You train it. You'll fall down. If I feel dizzy, what I'm gonna do. Really? We always train about that. Wow. We prepare ourselves for everything, of course. But I never think about losing. Wow. What is the process like the day of a fight for you, mentally and emotionally? How do you prepare for that fight? For me, it's a normal day. Just like, grab a cup of coffee, relax, hang out. Yeah, relax, obviously very relaxed.

8:54But for me, in my mind, it's a normal day. Really? But the world is gonna watch you on these fights. Yeah, I know. There's so much money on the line that, you know... I don't think about that. For me, it's normal. I'm gonna do my thing, and that's it. Obviously, I think... I... I... I put everything together that day. We put in the whole training camp. I put, okay, I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. We train for this. But for me, it's a normal day. It's like... You wake up at the same time. If you see me in the locker room 20 minutes before the fight, I'm listening to music, chilling with my team.

9:45So for me, it's normal day. Are you not visualizing the fight? Yeah, always. You are. I always visualize my fight in the night. I know, okay, this happened, I'm going to do this, everything. How much energy does it take from you to visualize? There's a lot of energy to train, to run every day, to spar, to lift. but how much energy to actually think at night about what you're going to do in the ring? I just think. I don't put so much energy to think because I just, okay, I'm going to do this and this. I train for this, and that's it. For me, like my life routine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not like I don't want to do this or to stress myself.

10:37No. It's relaxing. It's relaxing. It's relaxing. Wow, that's beautiful. And what do you think about after you win a fight? When you've prepared for months and you win a big fight and the whole world is watching, how does it make you feel? It's the best feeling. Yeah. It's the best feeling because you put your life there. You put everything in the training camp. You left your family. You left everything for that moment. Yes. For that moment, for the win, you prepare yourself for the win, and it's the best feeling. Yes. Then it's when you realize everything you do, everything, the sacrifices, the discipline you put in the gym, there is the result.

11:22It's worth it. Yeah, yeah. Did you ever doubt yourself growing up? Never. Like self-doubt? Never. Insecurities? Never in my life. How did you learn that, though? I don't know. So many people in the world are insecure about who they are, right? They doubt. I never doubt about myself. Was that your parents or your grandmother? I don't know. Did they teach you how to believe in yourself? My mentality is always like, I don't care who is there. I'm going to achieve my goals no matter what. So I just started professional boxing when I was 15 years old. So sometimes my trainer saw the opponent and say, hey, he's too strong and he's 30 years old.

12:05I don't care. I don't really care. And then two rounds and that. And you knock him out, yeah. Do you have, I mean, do you ever have any insecurities outside of boxing, like starting business or in some other ventures? No. No insecurities? I think the first time I jump in the bus and try to sell ice creams in the bus, I feel a little, I don't know, insecure or I feel a little chained because, you know, I'm red hair and have freckles and everything. and I feel like a little ashamed, maybe insecure. But you're like five, six, seven years old? Yeah, five, six years old. Selling popsicles. And then I say, nothing happened.

13:02And then I start feeling good. But I think that moment I feel like a little insecure because the people saw me and say something about me. I don't know. But then I don't give up. So like, so 25 years ago was the last time you were insecure. Yeah. But when you're starting business, because you've got all these businesses you've been building in Mexico and USA as well. You know, do you feel like, oh, maybe I don't understand business fully like everyone else yet because I'm mostly a boxer. Do you ever get worried about that? Worry? Yes. But I'm not insecure. Okay. It's different. and worry about, okay, I'm going to do with the correct persons, find the correct persons and partners, partners and everything, you know, but never insecure because it's, it's there are a lot of people bring with business and this and this, but at the end of the day, I'm going to do whatever I want.

14:02And I say, okay, I want to do this. I'm going to find the correct person to do it. So maybe worry about to find the correct partner. Yeah, to make sure it's good. Do you ever feel, I mean, you're a legend and an icon all around the world, but specifically in Mexico, right? Mexicans love you. I love visiting Mexico. Obviously, my fiance is from Mexico. And people love you there. Do you ever feel a pressure to make them proud or to do the right things or? In some point, yes. Really? In some point, yes, because, you know, we have a huge history in boxing. Yes. In Mexico. In some point, yes. But some of their time, I say, you know, I always do my best.

14:56Yes. And I put my best in there. So, yeah, I know my fans, my really, my true fans, they proud about me. because they know I put everything, everything there. It's there people who don't like, but I know that they, I can do anything without people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But in some moment, yes, I feel like, oh, I need to do this to make my fans happy. But then you realize I put everything I can in there. So they will be happy. Yeah. What is it you love about Mexico and Mexican people the most? Everything. Everything. Mexico is very unique. It's very unique. You know, the one or the person, the service they give you, and the love.

15:59We have a lot of places, beautiful places in Mexico. I think we have a lot of good things in Mexico. The culture, the people, the love is something that I appreciate and really enjoy. You've got a family, you've got kids. What changed for you in boxing when you started to have kids? Did something shift inside of you? I started having kids since I was 17 years old. So, yeah, it changed my mind a lot because then I have responsibility of a big man. So, very hard at the beginning, but at the end of the day, I had three jobs and then went to train. and got three jobs and then went to train because, you know, I have the best for my daughter that moment when I was 17 years old.

17:01What were those jobs? What were those three jobs? Sell ice creams. When you were 17? Yeah. I had my dad and two of my brothers. Wow. So then went to train and... Sell ice cream. Yeah. Because you dropped out of school, high school, correct? Yeah, when I was 15 years old. Right. You didn't like school. I didn't. I didn't. I didn't. But maybe if I have a different life and different positions, maybe I do like the school. But for me, it was different. Speaking of the warmth, I heard you talk about your grandmother really loving you in a big way growing up, your father, your mother. I'm curious. Chris, could you share the biggest thing you've learned from your grandmother, your father, and your mother?

17:55One lesson from each that they taught you. I think they never surrendered on everything. They never surrendered? Never. They always hard working. They always, we love. I think if you walk in life with love, you're going to be good. Everywhere. Everywhere. No matter what. If you walk in with love, you're going to be good in life. Have you always had love in your heart or have you ever had anger or resentment? I think in some point, yes, but I always have love in my heart because, you know, I always, whatever I do, I do with my heart. Right. When you have love in your heart, but you're a boxer and you're fighting someone.

18:53I need to. It's like an animal. Right. If you are whatever animal, you're good. But if you need to bring food for your family or you need to take care of your family, you're going to do everything and fight. So I'm walking with love, but I'm a fighter. You walk with love, but when you're fighting, you're a fighter. Did something switch in your mind when you had your daughter at 17? Did you become more focused as a fighter, or did anything shift inside of you in terms of, I need to work harder, or was it the same type of routine? Same. Same. Same. For me, I never thought about being a world champion.

19:41You never thought? No matter what. Never a doubt. Never a doubt about it. Never a doubt about it. I, I, my daughter comes and I say, even more. Even more focus, even more, it determine everything. I think my daughter teach me a lot of things and made me put that extra. Really? So you trained harder, you focused more? I think my daughter put, made me put that extra motivation. And you have a big family, like seven or eight siblings, right? Eight, yeah. Eight, seven brothers or six brothers, right? Seven and one sister. That's incredible. And I saw a video of you talking about how your brother got kidnapped at one point right before a fight.

20:27Yeah. Is that true? That's true, yeah. How did you manage, and you had to do all these interviews, you had to prepare for a fight, mentally, emotionally. How were you able to focus and deal with the kidnapping of your brother? It was very difficult. For me, it was very difficult because it was the week of the fight. So it was a very difficult time for me and for the family. But I don't know how I might go for that situation. But I always say, you know, I'm going to do my best in everything.

21:12and at the end, everything was good, and I handled good. Did you think about stopping the fight? No. No, never. Just keep going, keep going no matter what. My life needs to keep going. What has being a father taught you about life? Now that you're a father of many kids, what has that taught you about life? I think everything you need to, because you need to walk in with example for your kids. You know, it's the best teach for them. Your kids are the best, you're the best teacher for them. Yeah, if you do the correct things and they show you how you do that things, I think they're going to learn.

22:00Right, right. You can say a lot of things, but if they show you doing. Your example. Yeah, yeah, your way of being. You know, the example is the best thing. Yeah. We were talking about meditation before we started filming, that this year you started getting into meditation. Yeah. Breathing, listening to music, meditation. We were talking about Dr. Joe Dispenza before. What has meditation done to you to support you in your training and preparing for fighting? I feel in my best moment right now because of the meditation, yeah. I'm feeling my best. I feel not just in boxing, in life. Life. In relationships.

22:43Relationships, friends, business, boxing, everything. Everything. I think for me, meditation changed my mind. Really? Changed my life. What have you learned about it so far? Everything. that what I say, if you're walking with love, you're going to be good everywhere. And it's a lot of things that love comes, you know? Bad things too, right? Limits, respect. The love comes with a lot of things, but we don't solve. We just think, oh, love is love. No, love comes with limits, with respect, with a lot of things comes with love. So if you're walking with love, I think you're going to be good everywhere.

23:36Yes. I ask a lot of people about the difference between success and greatness. This show is called The School of Greatness. And I'm curious, what is your definition of success versus greatness? No sé traduce en español, greatness. Is there a word for greatness in Spanish? Greatness in Spanish is like lo mejor, the best, lo mejor, lo mejor. In your mind, what is the definition of greatness versus the definition of success? Success, I think success is in life, you do whatever thing, if you got success, that's success. But a greatness is... Like an accomplishment? Yeah, like a world champion. That's success.

24:34And what's greatness in your mind? What I'm doing, that's greatness. Go out of your comfort zone and do do things everybody say you can do it. I think that's the difference in belief and whatever you want to do. I think what happened with me is nobody believes in me before because I'm too short for that weight classes and this and that. Skinny, short. And I show them what person can accomplish with that determination, with that and believe in yourself and everything. I think, and I'm just starting. Right now? Yeah, I'm just starting because in boxing, you're just starting in boxing now. In boxing, whatever years come left, like four or five years, I don't know.

25:56But in my life, in my life, I think I just want to teach other boxers, other athletes, they need to put things outside boxing too. Because that history, the athletes come and win a lot of money, or have a lot of success, and at the end of the day, they got nothing. Right. Nobody, everybody forget that athlete. Five years later, 10 years later. Yeah. So I want to teach them they need to do something outside the boxing, outside every sport they do. And if you risk your life for 20 years in boxing, and then at the end of the day, five years later, you go in the same position, what's... Right. Yeah.

27:00do you ever get worried about um my my boxing trainer when i work out for fun i'm not a trainer like you obviously but when i box for fun a few years ago i said hey you know all these youtube people were like boxing and fighting all these people i said hey would you ever train me if someone wanted to fight me and he said i wouldn't train you and he was an olympic uh medalist olympic uh medalist he said i wouldn't train boxing he said i wouldn't train you i said why Why not? He said just the damage that people get with their head injuries. And he said, I've just seen too many fighters get hit so many times and hurt themselves.

27:37Has that ever worried you about just so much head? Part of my job. Right. Has that ever concerned you or worried you? I always, that's what I train. I train to don't get so much heat. Yeah, you're very good. Defense is amazing. Defense, I train so much in defense. I don't want to get hit. Yeah. But, I mean, this is poor. I mean, I'm...

28:07But I can't... I'm never worried about it. Uh-huh. I worry about it because I've trained. I don't... I don't... I don't want to get hit, but at the end of the day, I'm there. Yeah, it's part of the job. Yeah. When you see someone like Muhammad Ali or other boxers who maybe have brain injuries who are older, does that ever worry you or concern you? No. Yeah. No, because, you know, it's what I love. And at the end of the day, if something happens, it is what it is. Right. I had... You can go in the stairs and fall. Something happens, you know. Yeah, of course. I had Mike Tyson on twice on my show, and I had Jake Paul on.

28:49I know they're fighting. I'm sure everyone's asking about it. But I'm curious, who do you think would be a harder fight for you right now, Mike Tyson or Jake Paul? In a hypothetical scenario, who do you think would be tougher for you?

29:07I think if you put them together in the ring with me, maybe it's going to be a little complicated. But one or the other, they're not the same, you think? Yeah, at least I'm, yeah. They're the same, you think, for you? Who do you think would win between them? It's hard to say, but, you know, it's risky for Mike Tyson. Really? Yeah, because he's 57 and 58, I don't know.

29:43And boxing is no, it's not a joke. It's no joke. But, you know, I know I get it. I get it why they do this. It's a business. Yeah, yeah. They're going to fight with 18 ounces. Bigger gloves. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a business. Speaking of business, you've been getting into business more and more over the years, which I'm excited to talk about as well. real estate, your own businesses, Canelo Energy, you know, all these different brands that you're building, what excites you the most about business and entrepreneurship?

30:25And is it a distraction to do all that as well as fight ever? No. No. No, no, it's a distraction because I have my correct people doing my team, everything, and I do what I need to do for my business, and I care about every business I have. But I like it. I enjoy doing real estate. I enjoy doing my drinks. And everything I do, I really enjoy it. Yeah. What is your vision for your... My stations, everything. You got a lot going on. What is your vision for your future after boxing? Is it to be a business leader in the world or what is the main vision that you have for business? Yeah, that's my goal, is being one of the best businessmen in the world.

31:22Really? Yeah. Why does that excite you so much after Bison? I just... You love it. I love to be involved in these kind of things and see how they go big and big and big and big, you know, starting with some and then grow up. I like it so much because when I was young, I saw my brother Ricardo, he put ice cream store with$5 ,000 and we built in five, six months, like bring people bring people bring people and then he sell it for 30 40 000 so and i saw him and i i just started learning started learning and and i really enjoyed that kind of things well that's beautiful man i've got three final questions for you but uh again i want to thank you for taking the time to do this this has been exciting um this is a question i ask everyone towards the end of my conversations it's it's called the three truths so it's a hypothetical question so i want you to imagine you get to live as long as you want in life to be 100 years old or 120 whatever it is you get to live as long as you want you have the career you want in boxing for the next five seven years you become a mega billionaire in business you do everything you want you see your kids grow up.

33:00But at the end of the day, it's the last day of life and you only get to share three lessons with the world from everything you've learned about boxing and relationships and love and business. What three lessons would you share with the world on your last day of life?

33:26I think love is the first one. Love.