By Keith Idec

Size will matter, according to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

The former WBC middleweight champion said during a conference call Monday that he expects his size advantage over Canelo Alvarez to be a major factor when they meet Saturday night in Las Vegas. Alvarez has never fought above a contracted weight of 155 pounds, but the Mexican superstar agreed to face Chavez at a catch weight of 164½ pounds.

The 6-feet-1 Chavez (50-2-1, 32 KOs, 1 NC) has fought at super middleweight and light heavyweight the past four years and stands four inches taller than Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs). Chavez, 31, figures to weigh at least 10 pounds more than Alvarez when the bout begins and anticipates Alvarez will have difficulty dealing with a significantly bigger, stronger opponent – something he hasn’t had to do during his 11-year pro career.

“It has been said that in boxing that that’s an important factor, that the weight and the bigger person is always gonna have the advantage,” Chavez said through a translator. “And that I think is true. But I think for this fight I’m just focusing on staying strong, making the weight the right way, so that I’m in there and am able to compete at that level. But I think that really this fight is gonna come down to me being intelligent, me being smart, and I think that’s gonna be the difference, also.”

When asked if his size advantage makes him believe he can become the first fighter to knock out Alvarez, Chavez replied, “Yes, I feel I can. I feel I’m the bigger guy. I’ve fought at light heavyweight. He’s never fought fighters of this size and because of that, if things pan out and I get the right shot, I think of course it can happen.”

The 26-year-old Alvarez’s lone loss came against retired legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26 KOs), who thoroughly out-boxed Alvarez in their 12-round fight for the WBA and WBC 154-pound championships in September 2013.

Alvarez-Chavez will headline a four-fight HBO Pay-Per-View telecast from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It’ll begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, and will cost $69.99 in HD and $59.99 in SD.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.