Alvarez wants Trout, then Mayweather

Although Mexican WBC junior middleweight titleholder Saul "Canelo" Alvarez claims to be "focused 100 percent" on his April 20 date with WBA counterpart Austin Trout at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, the 22-year-old is, nevertheless, eager to face unbeaten WBC welterweight and pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. next.

A few weeks after Alvarez (41-0-1, 31 knockouts) meets the 27-year-old southpaw Trout (26-0, 14 KOs) on Showtime, Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs) will defend his belt against and two-division titlewinner Robert Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs) on Showtime Pay Per View at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 4.

"My team and I are focused 100 percent on my opponent," said Alvarez, later saying, "I'm ready to fight Floyd Mayweather when he's ready to fight me."

Alvarez and Trout were face-to-face during three press conferences over the course of Wednesday and Thursday before thousands of fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio as well as stops in Houston and McAllen, Texas.

Having been ringside when Trout unanimously decisioned his then-34-year-old brother, Rigoburto Alvarez, in February of 2011 in Guadalajara, Mexico, Saul Alvarez called his bout with Trout "personal."

"This fight for me is personal. I know Trout beat my brother," said Saul Alvarez, a resident of Jalisco, Mexico. "I was there that day and that made me feel helpless. Now I'll get the chance to avenge his loss and bring him up to the ring with me when I win."

Saul Alvarez was also in the arena in December when Trout won his last fight by unanimous decision over four-time, three-division titlewinner Miguel Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs) at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Trout's triumph over Cotto ended the challenger's unbeaten run at The Garden at 7-0 with four stoppage wins before a crowd of 13,096 partisan fans. Cotto's overall record in New York was at 9-0, including five stoppages, prior to the loss.

"I have great respect for Austin Trout and what he has been able to achieve. This fight is a complicated one. He's not only tough but a lefty and he also knows how to keeps his guard with his left," said Alvarez.

"He's a very intelligent fighter, young, skilled and tough.  It's not going to be an easy task to beat him, but we're working hard and getting ready. I respect Trout outside of the ring, but once he's in the ring, that's a whole different thing."

Trout agrees with Alvarez that he will offer the younger fighter an aspect he may never have experienced.
 
"I'm a fast, hungry champion.  I don't believe that Canelo is the second coming of Oscar De La Hoya. I do believe that I'm the better fighter. If I didn't think I could be victorious, I wouldn't be risking my life and limb to face this man," said Trout.

"I wouldn't be risking my undefeated record and my belt if I didn't believe in myself. I'll be victorious and I'll go home as the unified champion. Someone's '0' has got to go. It sure as hell isn't going to be mine and I'm sure he is saying the same thing. That's the formula for a great fight."

Photo by Stephanie Trapp

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com