By Miguel Rivera and James Blears

Plaza Mexico, Mexico City - As BoxingScene.com previously reported, WBC 154-pound champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (39-0, 29KOs) issued a challenge to the WBC's welterweight champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26KOs). The young Mexican star, shortly after his fifth round stoppage of Kermit Cintron, called for a Mayweather showdown in May.

"Next year we want the best. We want Mayweather in May. Apart from the money, that doesn't matter. We want the best in the world and he's the best pound for pound," Canelo stated.

It's no secret in the boxing industry, Mayweather already has an HBO return date scheduled for May 5th, Cinco De Mayo weekend, which is one of the most lucrative periods of the year for boxing events involving Mexican fighters. The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is set aside for Mayweather's next fight.

Canelo told reporters in the aftermath that he "was serious" about his request to face Mayweather in May of 2012. He "expects [Golden Boy President] Oscar De La Hoya" to support his pursuit of the biggest fight possible by "negotiating a deal for a potential Mayweather fight in May."

"This coming year, some very important things are going to happen for me, and I want to go after the big names," Alvarez said.

This past September, the two boxers co-headlined an HBO split-site pay-per-view event, with Floyd stopping Victor Ortiz in Las Vegas and Canelo being the headliner in California and knocking out Alfonso Gomez.