By Radio Rahim

Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38KOs) is less than two weeks away from his scheduled ring return at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

He will challenge once-beaten Jessie Vargas for the WBO welterweight title on November 5th, as the headline fight of a Top Rank Pay-Per-View event.

The fight is Pacquiao's first since his short-lived retirement. Pacquiao made that retirement decision back in April, after his trilogy decision victory over Timothy Bradley. He officially unretired two months later.

Earlier this year, Pacquiao's trainer - Freddie Roach - discussed the possibility of matching his fighter against Mexican star Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (48-1-1, 34KOs).

Roach believes Pacquiao's speed, along with his boxing ability and fast feet, would be enough to beat Canelo, who currently fights one division north at 154-pounds. Even Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, has expressed interest in making that fight happen.

Roach told BoxingScene.com at the start of the year, that he would like to analysis how his former fighter, Amir Khan, would perform against Canelo - and the outcome would convince him or discourage him from putting Pacquiao in that kind of fight.

Khan challenged Canelo in May. He did very well in the early rounds, but all it took was one punch to knock him out cold in the sixth.

After watching that fight play out, is Roach still interested in making Pacquiao vs. Canelo?

"Yeah, I love that fight," Roach said. "My idea of the big picture - he fights this fight [against Vargas], looks impressive. Then he gets one of the big guys out there, whoever it may be..... [Floyd] Mayweather, [Canelo] Alvarez... get one of those big fights. Fights that fight and then that's it [for his career]."  

In a few recent interviews, Canelo proclaimed himself as the best fighter in the world. Roach wants him to prove it.

"Fight Pacquiao, don't gain 100-pounds after the weigh-in and let's see [if you're the best fighter in the world]," Roach said.