By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – Amir Khan senses Canelo Alvarez is anticipating an easy night May 7 in Las Vegas.

That perception prompted Khan to remind Alvarez that there won’t be anything easy about a fight Alvarez currently is a 5-1 favorite to win. Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) noted that he has made the mistake of overlooking opponents in the past, and paid dearly for it.

The British star suggested Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) should learn from the mistakes he has made, most recently when Danny Garcia stopped Khan in the fourth round of their junior welterweight title fight in May 2012.

“I think the thing with Canelo is maybe he’s taking his eye off the prize,” Khan said following a press conference during the three city promotional tour. “And I think if he does that it’s the biggest mistake he’ll be making.

“Look, this is not going to be an easy fight for him. I think he might think it was an easy fight for him. I just had to tell him that myself because I don’t want no excuses after I beat him, because I will beat him.”

Alvarez refuted Khan’s assessment. The Mexican superstar says even though Khan technically will move up two weight classes to challenge him, he realizes Khan’s hand and foot speed are factors he’ll need to overcome when they fight for his WBC middleweight title at T-Mobile Arena (HBO Pay-Per-View).

“I never think that with anybody,” Alvarez said about this being an easy fight. “I prepare 100 percent. In boxing, anything can happen, so you have to be ready for anything.”

Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.