By Keith Idec

LAS VEGAS – Canelo Alvarez technically didn’t predict he’ll knock out Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but the Mexican superstar all but said Wednesday that’s what will happen when they fight Saturday night.

Speaking to a group of reporters prior to a press conference Wednesday at MGM Grand, Alvarez admitted it’s difficult to think their 12-round, super middleweight match will go the distance at T-Mobile Arena. The 26-year-old Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) has not been knocked out since he turned pro in October 2005, but the 31-year-old Chavez (50-2-1, 32 KOs, 1 NC) was stopped by Polish light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara after nine rounds in their April 2015 fight in Carson, California.

Fonfara floored Chavez in the ninth round that night, which prompted Chavez to quit on his stool before the 10th round started.

“The percentages of a knockout are very high, are very good because of the styles, because of the knockout ratios of both,” Alvarez, who’ll face Chavez at a contracted catch weight of 164½ pounds, said through a translator. “It’s a very low percentage that it’ll go the distance. But you can’t predict a knockout, because if you do it doesn’t come. We’ll just see what happens on Saturday night.”

Alvarez was a 6½-1 favorite to defeat Chavez at MGM Grand’s sports book Wednesday.

The odds of Alvarez winning by knockout were 9-5. The odds of Chavez beating Alvarez by knockout were 12-1, despite that the 5-feet-9 Alvarez is expected to encounter a significant size disadvantage against the 6-feet-1 Chavez.

The weight limit for their non-title fight is 9½ pounds higher than Alvarez has fought during his 11½-year pro career (155 pounds). Chavez also figures to out-weigh Alvarez by at least 10 pounds by the time their bout begins Saturday night.

Alvarez-Chavez, perhaps the highest-profile fight between Mexicans in boxing history, will headline HBO Pay-Per-View’s four-fight telecast. The show is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and costs $69.99 in HD.

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