Saul “Canelo” Alvarez had a crack at Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013, but he was frustrated and outclassed in that encounter. Two years later, Alvarez’s star hasn’t dimmed, and he’s headlining the second-biggest fight of the year vs. Miguel Cotto, the WBC middleweight champion.

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao captured casual sports fans and broke records, but Alvarez-Cotto is the hardcore fan’s dream. Alvarez is now trying to convince those casual fans who were turned off by “The Fight of the Century” to return to the sport, and check out what a real fight looks like.

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“This is a guarantee. Without a doubt, this is a fight,” Alvarez told reporters. “We are both coming to win. We are both going to fight. We are both going to lay it on the line. Without a doubt this is a fight for real.”

Mayweather is known as a defensive wizard. While that style has helped Mayweather remain undefeated, it hasn’t endeared him to most fans. Alvarez and Cotto, on the other hand, are known warriors. Both fighters will come into the right with three-fight winning streaks; Alvarez has knocked out two of his last three opponents, while Cotto has ended all three inside of the distance.

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Alvarez’s most recent bout is a Fight of the Year candidate despite it finishing in fewer than four full rounds. He and James Kirkland engaged in a furious brawl that saw Alvarez’s ruthlessly efficient combination punching tranquilize the wildly charging Kirkland.

Cotto is going to be one of his greatest challenges. He is known as an action fighter with one of the meanest left hooks in history.

He has also showcased improvements defensively, and with his movement under the tutelage of Freddie Roach. The newer version of Cotto has returned to his powerful body attack, but also sets up punches better with his footwork and a better plan.

Cotto is aggressive, and Alvarez is a counter-puncher. Both have big power, and Alvarez is not wrong to hype this as a must-see event.

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