Undefeated Alvarez: I want Mayweather

First, it was supposed to be Victor Ortiz. Then Paul Williams, followed by James Kirkland.

Now, it's Josesito Lopez. But when Saul "Canelo" Alvarez gets asked who he really wants to fight, he doesn't hesitate.

"Mayweather," he said, not needing an interpreter to translate his sentiments.

Maybe Alvarez fights Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year. But given Mayweather's penchant for demanding the upper hand in every facet of negotiations for a contract, Alvarez might have an easier time finding someone else to fight. The aggravation might not be worth whatever financial gain he might receive.

For now, the WBC junior middleweight champion's focus is on tonight's title defense at the MGM Grand Garden against Lopez, who happened to be in the right place at the right time when the aforementioned opponents fell out for various reasons. The 22-year-old Alvarez is smart enough to know that if he allows Lopez to do to him what he did to Ortiz on June 23, when Lopez broke his jaw and shattered Ortiz's dream of a megafight, there will be no Mayweather fight.

"We all expected Victor Ortiz to win," Alvarez said. "But Josesito did what he had to do to win the fight. He earned the right to fight me with his actions and his performance.

"That's why I am not underestimating him at all."

Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 knockouts) is coming off one of the best performances, a dominating unanimous decision over future Hall of Famer Shane Mosley at the Grand Garden on May 5. Not only were Alvarez's combinations sharp and his defense virtually flawless, he exuded increased maturity to complement his skills.

"This is a sport where you're always learning," Alvarez said. "Against Shane, I was more flat-footed and sitting down on my punches, and I had more power. But I also see errors in my performance that I need to work on."

Alvarez didn't go into detail as to what those flaws might be. The 28-year-old Lopez (30-4, 18 KOs) said he thinks Alvarez tends to take parts of rounds off, and if he can maintain a high volume of punches during those lulls, he might get the opportunity to spring the upset against Alvarez, a minus-1,400 betting favorite at the MGM Resorts sports books.

Alvarez said he's fine sharing the spotlight tonight with another Mexican champion - WBC middleweight champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. - who fights about a mile east on Tropicana Avenue at the Thomas & Mack Center at the same time against Sergio Martinez.

"Thee sun's out for all of us," Alvarez said of the competing fight cards between his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, and Top Rank, which is promoting Chavez-Martinez. "He has his fans, and I have my fans. I've never considered him a rival. I wish him well."

Alvarez said he eventually could see himself and Chavez in the ring together. But he thinks a fight with Mayweather would help define his career.

"Miguel Cotto did a great job of pressuring Mayweather," he said, referring to Cotto's effort against Mayweather the same night Alvarez defeated Mosley. "He fought a great fight, and I learned some things.

"You always see the defects. But once you get in the ring, everything changes. But I feel my style is going to be tough for Mayweather to handle.

"I would love to fight Mayweather - or Cotto. I feel like I'm ready for them."

■ NOTES - Both fighters made the 154-pound limit at Friday's weigh-in, with Alvarez weighing 154 and Lopez 153. ... Golden Boy said the fight is a sellout, though tickets still could be purchased through Ticketmaster late Friday afternoon. Capacity will be 15,000, slightly less than the usual 16,200. ... The Showtime telecast begins at 6 p.m.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.