Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info

To put it plainly, the Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KO) vs. Miguel "Junito" Cotto (40-4, 33 KO) bout on Saturday from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas is the biggest non-Floyd Mayweather fight in the last three years.

The Mexican-Puerto Rican boxing rivalry is set to get another chapter added to its long line of high-profile bouts. Alvarez is without a doubt the most popular and successful active Mexican fighter in the sport, and the same can be said about Cotto in relation to his Puerto Rican heritage. He is the only fighter from Puerto Rico to win world titles in four weight classes.

The entire boxing world will be watching, as will many casual fans, and that's when you know a fight and its hype have gone to the next level.

Here's a look at the final press conference for the bout:

When: Saturday, November 21, at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

TV: HBO pay-per-view

Live Stream: BoxNation

Last Time Out

Cotto Crushes Geale

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

Daniel Geale didn't look like much of a test for Cotto on paper, and he provided little resistance in the ring as Junito successfully defended his WBC middleweight crown in June.

Cotto dropped Geale twice in the fourth round, and referee Harvey Dock called an end to the bout late in the frame. Geale didn't look good from a strength and conditioning standpoint.

He struggled to make the 157-pound catchweight, and it showed in the ring. He looked listless and slower than normal. Cotto took advantage of his ill-prepared foe and finished him quickly.

Canelo Smokes Kirkland

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

James Kirkland doesn't usually have boring fights, and his battle with Canelo in May was no exception. The uber-aggressive Kirkland jumped on Canelo from the opening moments of the first round.

The aggression seemed to stun Alvarez at first, but the 25-year-old quickly picked up the pace. He badly hurt Kirkland in the first round, dropping him in the process.

But it was in the third round that he would finish the fight. Alvarez knocked Kirkland down again, but the rugged contender would get to his feet.

That proved to be a mistake.

Canelo forced his dazed opponent to the ropes, faked a jab to the stomach and came over the top with a savage right hand that knocked Kirkland cold. Take a look at the punch:

Because this action-packed fight came just a week after Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao bored many fans, the result helped to elevate Canelo as the man primed to be the sport's next megastar. The clash with Cotto could punctuate Canelo's arrival into the sport's elite.

What's at Stake?

The title situation surrounding this fight has become complicated. Cotto was stripped of his WBC title after he refused to pay $1.1 million in sanctioning fees, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. Now the title will only be on the line for Canelo, who has a chance to gain his first piece of the middleweight crown.

Another huge payday could be on the horizon, as the winner would be expected to take on WBA and IBF champion Gennady Golovkin. A win by Cotto could muddy the picture. Because he wouldn't be the WBC champion, there wouldn't be any obligation for him to face the feared Kazakh slugger.

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It seems more likely that Golovkin would face another top middleweight for the vacant crown, which would probably be a less intriguing bout. If Canelo wins, then a bout between him and Golovkin would be logical sometime in the first quarter of 2016.

That would be a big-money bout, as Golovkin would be getting the biggest test of his career, and Canelo would be facing the best fighter he's fought since he was outboxed by Mayweather in September 2013.

Prediction

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

This is an intriguing battle, assuming the 35-year-old Cotto doesn't look his age in the fight. He'll be the most experienced body puncher Canelo has ever tangled with. That could be significant, because Alvarez's midsection has never been tested.

Cotto is tough as nails, and he's shown the penchant for getting off to fast starts in his last three fights. Fast starts are not normally a part of Canelo's makeup.

He can't afford to allow a veteran like Cotto to get the drop on him early.

In the end, I like the bigger (5'9" to 5'7") and younger Alvarez by decision. He should have a slight edge in speed, and if he utilizes his jab, he could seize control and have Cotto hurt late.

Out of respect to Cotto's toughness, we'll tab Canelo as the winner by decision, but the final four rounds will likely favor the Mexican star. Bet on Canelo going away.