By Edward Chaykovsky

Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya is making it no secret that he's side by side with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (43-1-1, 31KOs), who faces WBA 'regular' junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (19-1-2, 12KOs) in the main event of Saturday's Showtime Pay-Per-View from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Canelo is the star fighter of De La Hoya's company and he faces a very dangerous opponent. The fight is very personal for both, with Lara trashing Canelo for quite some time on the social networks. Lara is angered because he believes Golden Boy has shown favoritism to Canelo and he wants to punish him in the fight.

What’s Left for Canelo Alvarez After Terence Crawford Loss?

The WBC’s latest super middleweight rankings are in and Canelo Alvarez is no longer the champion, he’s now listed as the No. 1 contender at 168 pounds. We break down the biggest movements in the division and what this change could mean for Canelo’s future.

Friday | Sep 19, 2025

"The fact this fight is personal, it is the first time that I have seen Canelo with that extra determination. He has looked perfect in training camp. He wants to destroy Lara. This is exactly where he needs to be. I can see it in his eyes, his focus says it all," De La Hoya said.

"Every fighter in the ring has a chance. With fighting, one punch can change the entire dynamic of a fight. I'm expecting a great fight from top to bottom, but obviously I'm with Canelo 100 percent."