By Radio Rahim

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach is no longer under the impression that WBA/IBO/IBF middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs) will steamroll right over WBC champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (47-1-1, 33KOs).

Golovkin is the mandatory challenger for Canelo's WBC title. The two camps have begun negotiations for a fall showdown.

They have 15 days to reach an agreement before the WBC holds an official purse bid on May 24th in Mexico City.

Roach was ringside last Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. He watched Canelo score a crushing one-punch knockout of former champion Amir Khan in the sixth round of an HBO Pay-Per-View headliner.

Roach, who trained Khan in the past, was very impressed with the series of moves that Canelo utilized to set up the finisher. Roach worked the corner of Miguel Cotto when he lost a twelve round decision to Canelo last November at the Mandalay Bay.

"You could see that he was getting closer [to Khan]. He threw a few right hands to the body earlier and I think he was doing that to measure him. That was a beautiful move [to set up that right hand]. I think [Canelo is] becoming a better fighter than people think. Him and Triple G is not just a walkover anymore.  I think its a good fight," Roach told BoxingScene.com.

Roach is still siding with Golovkin to win the contest. He considers Golovkin to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.

"Triple G is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, today I think. It's a very competitive fight at this point. I think its a good fight. I don't think its a blowout. I think its an interesting good fight," Roach said.

If Canelo refuses to go forward with the mandatory defense, then the World Boxing Council will remove him from the position of middleweight champion and transfer that recognition to Golovkin.