Canelo targets KO vs Golovkin

LAS VEGAS (AFP) — Saul "Canelo" Alvarez said a trilogy-deciding victory over bitter rival Gennady Golovkin on Saturday will return him to the pinnacle of boxing and recognized as the world's best fighter.

Alvarez, roared on by his devoted fans who celebrate Mexican Independence day on Friday, will try to beat the hard-hitting Kazakh for a second time after a controversial victory in their most recent fight in 2018.

With the bout taking place at super-middleweight, it's a chance for the Mexican superstar, undisputed champion in the 168-pound weight class, to avenge his last fight loss — a defeat at light heavyweight to Dmitry Bivol — and become the pound-for-pound finest in the eyes of the boxing world.

Golovkin, 40, will fight in the weight class for the first time but the weight should suit the middleweight champion, who says Alvarez was lucky to earn a draw in their opening bout in 2017 before delivering the lone career loss for "Triple G."

The fighters have made no secret of their dislike for each other, a rivalry sparked further after Alvarez tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol in March 2018, delaying a third matchup until now.

Alvarez is determined to knockout Golovkin for the first time in his storied career, a stoppage that would cement the Mexican's place among the all-time greats.

"It's one of the biggest fights of my life, because of the rivalry we have, and this third fight will be the most important," Alvarez told AFP.

"The fact he's going into it thinking possibly it could be his last makes him dangerous. I'm going to leave everything in the ring.

"From the first round I'll be looking to get the stoppage. This is as edgy as I've been before a fight for a while."