Canelo Alvarez: Return in December, Then Mayweather or Cotto?

Saul Canelo Alvarez, fresh off a fifth-round TKO of Josesito Lopez, is targeting one more fight in 2012 before moving on to bigger and better things in the new year. 

Alvarez, the WBC junior middleweight champion, hopes to return to the ring in December. According to a report from Ernesto Castellano of BoxingScene.com, Canelo's management is hoping that fight will be against James Kirkland. 

Kirkland had previously been scheduled to face Alvarez on September 15th, but pulled out due to injury and monetary concerns. After Josesito Lopez stopped Victor Ortiz, and broke his jaw, he became the next viable challenger. 

Kirkland is currently engaged in a legal tussle with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions over the status of his contract with the company.

If this is not resolved in time, then Alvarez's team will once again be searching for a new opponent.

Regardless of who Canelo faces in December, his team has their sights set on huge things for the new year. 

According to BoxingScene.com, Alvarez's manager, Eddy Reynoso, hopes to book his fighter for a May 4, 2013 showdown against either former WBA champion Miguel Cotto or pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Cotto, who lost his last bout by unanimous decision to Mayweather, hopes to capture the WBA junior middleweight title when he faces champion Austin Trout in December.

Mayweather has also not fought since his May victory over Cotto and after serving 87 days in a Nevada jail for misdemeanor battery.

Either fight would represent a huge step-up in class for Alvarez, who at 22 years old is still establishing himself in the sport.