Saul "Canelo" Alvarez made a surprising choice, as the reigning World Boxing Council middleweight champion decided to face Amir Khan in his next fight on May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Alvarez, who owns an impressive 46-1-1 record with 32 stoppage wins, was supposed to defend his title against fellow middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, but WBC allowed both fighters to face a different opponent in their respective next fights before their mandatory bout.

With WBC's decision to give him one more fight before his mandatory defense against Golovkin, Alvarez said that he made sure he is picking the best possible opponent for the Cinco de Mayo event.

"As the middleweight champion of the world, I will take on the best fighters in the sport and on Cinco de Mayo weekend, I look forward to making the first defense of my titles," Alvarez said via Yahoo Sports. "Amir was a decorated amateur, a two-time world champion and is in the prime of his career. Fans are in for a great fight."

Alvarez, who is coming off a unanimous decision win against Miguel Cotto in November last year, will put his WBC middleweight title on the line. But according to reports, the two camps agreed at a catchweight of 155 pounds, which is five pounds below the middleweight limit.

Khan, who has racked up 31 wins against just three defeats in his career, has been inactive since scoring a unanimous decision win against Chris Algieri in May last year. The former world champion has been waiting for a big fight but was previously snubbed by both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The Bolton native, who has not fought above 147 pounds in his career, is glad that he finally got the big fight that he has been chasing over the past several years.

"I know Canelo fights the best and wouldn't pass up the opportunity to face me like others have," Khan said, via Boxing News Online. "My goal is to always fight the biggest names and the best fighters that is why I'm excited for this fight. Also, I would like to thank my team and Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity."

While he is expected to be tagged as underdog in the bout, Khan, who is a former lightweight world champion, believes that he has what it takes to beat Canelo in their Cinco de Mayo weekend showdown.

"I know I have the speed and ability to beat him and will give my fans what they deserve on May 7," Khan declared.