Canelo Alvarez vs Chavez Jr preview, prediction and more ahead of what promises to be a Mexican boxing classic.

This weekend thousands upon thousands of Mexicans or Americans of Mexican decent will flood into Las Vegas, full of celebrations on Cinco de Mayo.

The day celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French on May 5th 1862, but has also become a day or weekend of celebrating Mexican-American culture.

The weekend has now become synonymous with the sport of boxing, and while the enigmatic Floyd Mayweather Jr has taken ownership of this weekend in Vegas for so many years, now it is time for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to take centre stage yet again on this special weekend for the Mexican people.

Saturday night will pit a Mexican idol against the son of a Mexican legend. The current face of Mexican boxing, Alvarez, will face the son of Mexico’s greatest, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

In all fairness, this contest holds more significance in Mexican culture than it does in the grand scheme of world boxing. But maybe it is okay for us to get lost for one weekend in the festivities.

However, right now it is time to dig deeper into a contest that in terms of boxing really only focuses on one fighter. With all the fanfare and histrionics out of the way, this is Canelo’s fight, in which he once again has the opportunity to showcase his talents, this time against a naturally bigger man.

And for all intents and purposes we hope this is the last line before we finally see Alvarez share a ring with Middleweight king Gennady Golovkin.

Alvarez 48-1-1(34KO’s) moves up to a catchweight above the Middleweight limit, leaving behind the WBO Super Welterweight title he ripped from Liam Smith last September in Texas.

While Chavez Jr 50-2-1(32KO’s) is likely looking at his final opportunity to step from behind the shadow of his father’s great legacy.

But Chavez’s lifestyle choices have cost him dearly out of the ring, and his only run as world champion lasted less than two years before he was dominated by Sergio Martinez.

He and his team’s embarrassing celebrations after almost stunning Martinez in the final round could only further him from the adoration of Mexican fight fans.

What happened when the two sat down face to face on HBO

A move to Light Heavyweight was ill-advised, and he quit on his stool following a beatdown from Andrzej Fonfara, and a year out of the ring was ended when he won on points last December in Mexico.

The storylines have piled up ahead of this fight, and the fire was stoked last weekend when Omar Chavez – brother of Julio – avenged a controversial loss to Ramon Alvarez – Saul’s sibling – inside 2 rounds.

The fire was already lit ahead of this Mexican grudge match, but now it is seething.

Canelo Alvarez vs Chavez Jr Prediction

Alvarez will enter new territory on fight night, as he is likely to be out-weighed when the pair step into the ring, an advantage Alvarez always carries over his opponents when the bell rings.

But that is unlikely to affect the outcome of the fight, albeit it will make Alvarez’s challenge of forcing a stoppage much harder.

With all the makings of a war that will live long in the memory, this Saturday should be another fun one.

But don’t expect the drama that we saw last Saturday night when Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko went to the brink in a see-saw battle.

Both will be there to be hit, but after living a heavy lifestyle, this contest will do very little to help preserve the 31-year old Chavez’s career.

Both will take a few rounds to warm into the contest, but it will be Alvarez to take the early lead. And that lead should continue to mount as the far fresher – and quite simply better – Mexican takes aim and finds a rather too static target in front of him.

Alvarez is also a smart boxer and up until he feels the strength draining from Chavez Jr he will box and move around the bigger man, punishing Chavez for every mistake he makes.

Then having landed a ridiculously high percentage of his punches, Alvarez will give the fans what they are waiting for. The contest will spark into life as Alvarez displays his confidence by standing toe-to-toe with Chavez in the mid-to-late rounds.

Team Chavez will believe they are having the more success, but ultimately the control of the contest will remain in Canelo’s corner.

Alvarez is unlikely to drop and stop the durable Chavez Jr, and with the raucous crowd wanting more and the pride that lies in the Chavez corner, it is highly doubtful that the fighter, well behind on the scorecards, will be pulled out or stopped by the referee.

After 12 brutally fun, but portentously one-sided rounds, Canelo Alvarez will be declared the winner by wide margins on the cards of all three judges.