Ruslan Provodnikov vs. Jesus Alvarez: Fight Time, Date, Preview and More

Ruslan Provodnikov (24-4-0) isn't starting his renewed world title challenge from the ground up, but he might as well be as he takes on Jesus Alvarez Rodriguez this Saturday.

Provodnikov's stock has dropped quite a bit ever since his loss to Timothy Bradley in 2013. Not only did he miss out on capturing the WBO welterweight title, but he also kicked off a rough stretch that featured defeats to Chris Algieri and Lucas Matthysse.

Things have gotten so bad for the 31-year-old that he was unable to secure a deal with a major American network for this fight.

As a result, he's taking on Alvarez in Monte Carlo, Monaco, at the Monte Carlo Casino. The fight is part of a "Night of Champions" event in partnership with South African promotion Golden Gloves. The festivities will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CET or 12:30 p.m. ET.

This is undoubtedly the biggest test of Alvarez's career. He's 14-0 as a professional, but his opponents have a combined record of 35-108-11 when they stepped in the ring against him.

"This kid wants to beat Ruslan," said promoter Artie Pelullo, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "He has embraced his chance. He sees the opportunity and he's coming to win, not to just put on a good showing. He's young and hungry and that makes him dangerous."

Since he's such an unknown quantity, Alvarez could spring a bit of a surprise against Provodnikov. Eleven of his victories have come by knockout, so he might catch Provodnikov with one or two blows that knocks The Siberian Rocky back and possibly to the mat.

However, anything less than a convincing Provodnikov victory would be a shock. Despite his recent losses, he remains a talented fighter, and he's tough enough that he should easily handle Alvarez's best stuff.

Although the gap in talent between the two fighters will likely mean a somewhat dull spectacle, this should be an intriguing fight if only to see how Provodnikov looks in his first fight with new trainer Joel Diaz after dumping Freddie Roach.

Wil Esco of Bad Left Hook analyzed what the switch could mean for Provodnikov in the ring:

"

So the biggest question here is, "why would Provodnikov decide to leave HOF trainer Freddie Roach?" Well, the answer was pretty simple, and quite obvious if you've ever seen a Provodnikov fight -- he just takes too many shots in the ring. Provodnikov and his team knew that he needed to make some changes to improve his defense, and while Roach is a great trainer, teaching defense has never been his strong suit.

"

Provodnikov is a thrilling fighter to watch, but there's no question he could stand to get a little better defensively. Taking heavy shots fight in and fight out can shorten one's career.

The Russian star doesn't need to start emulating Floyd Mayweather Jr. or anything, but becoming a better defensive fighter will not only make him a stronger competitor overall but also increase his longevity in the ring.

Provodnikov is basically in a no-win situation this weekend. Either he dominates Alvarez and wins comfortably, gaining little in terms of moving up the junior welterweight ladder, or he loses in a shocking upset and needs a long time to recover.

If Provodnikov can at least use Saturday's bout as a time to experiment with a different style or two, then taking on Alvarez will not have been for nothing.