By Jake Donovan

Alfredo Angulo was one win away from potentially fighting for a major belt in the 154 lb division. He came close to achieving that goal in the first minute of his eventual six-round war with James Kirkland last November, putting the southpaw down and nearly out with a right hand.

Kirkland averted disaster and the rest is history. Angulo suffered a sixth-round knockout, though what he went through in 2012 was far worse. The Mexican slugger spent seven months in El Centre Detention Center in California, a trip that began with honest efforts to clear up an expired visa to stay in the United States, before he was finally released this past August.

Angulo made an emotional return to the ring last month, scoring an opening round stoppage of Raul Casarez in a bout that aired live on Showtime. Anxious to make up for lost time, his next fight comes this weekend – just five weeks later – as he faces Jorge Silva (19-2-2, 15KO) at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles.

The bout serves as the televised co-feature to Amir Khan’s showdown with Carlos Molina.

Fights in consecutive months are ideal for Angulo (21-2, 18KO) to return to old form, though it’s still 30 seconds into the first round of his fight with Kirkland if you were to ask the fighter.

“If it were up to me, I would be fighting tomorrow for the belt,” Angulo insists. “I don’t care who the champions are. I am ready for them.”

One bout in particular that would draw instant attention would be an all-Mexico showdown with unbeaten 154 lb. titlist Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. But as Angulo said… he doesn’t care who it is when that time comes to challenge for a title.

For now, his world championship moment would be a second straight win on Saturday.

“I don’t fight names. I fight opponents. The name ‘Canelo’ doesn’t mean anything to me,” Angulo says. “I’m concentrating on the opponent that Golden Boy Promotions put in front of me.”

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter: @JakeNDaBox