Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto and Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will collide on Saturday.

Where to Watch, Live Stream

The much-anticipated Cotto-Canelo battle will be staged at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, on Saturday, 9 p.m. ET. Boxing fans at home can witness the match via pay-per-view subscription on HBO or via live stream on BoxNation.

Fight Preview

Cotto scored a fourth-round stoppage victory against Daniel Geale in New York in June, per BoxRec. It was Cotto's first defense of the World Boxing Council middleweight crown he captured from Sergio Gabriel Martinez in June 2014.

This fight against the 25-year-old Alvarez should have been his second defense of the title. However, he was recently stripped off his middleweight title, Boxing News noted. Cotto revealed on Boxing Scene that his refusal to pay $1.1 million for the $300,000 sanctioning fees and $800,000 set aside fees for mandatory challenger Gennady Golovkin was the reason for his dethronement.

"Canelo" is fresh from a third-round knockout win against James Kirkland in May, per BoxRec. Alvarez, who only lost to the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr., has the opportunity to become a world champion again. WBC reportedly informed that it would readily recognize Alvarez as its new champion if he beats Cotto on Saturday.

Predictions

World-class trainer Freddie Roach is confident that his fighter, Cotto, will crush Alvarez even though the younger opponent is "dangerous" and "a very good puncher" who has "a good right-hand," Boxing Scene noted. However, the coach questions Canelo's durability as he observed that he "fatigues in the middle rounds quite often in most of his fights."

Roach predicted that Cotto can defeat him in the seventh or the eighth round, per a Fight Hub interview.

Meanwhile, several boxing personalities are placing their bets on Canelo.

"It's 50-50, but I think so 'Canelo' [will win]," Golovkin told Sport Nation's Max Kellerman, Boxing Scene noted.

Even Puerto Rico's boxing great Felix "Tito" Trinidad is convinced the Mexican will beat his countryman, another Boxing Scene report informed.

"In my personal opinion I think it's a tough fight but Canelo' has most of the advantages in this fight. I think he will win," said Trinidad.

If Canelo wins on Saturday, he must face Golovkin as mandated by WBC. Canelo could also be considered for Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao's farewell fight, Boxing News 24 reported, citing Lance Pugmire's statement.

Team Cotto, on the other hand, is eyeing a knockout win to possibly lure Mayweather out of retirement and engage in a rematch, Boxing Scene noted.

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