By Francisco Salazar

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - It is finally here.

November 21, 2015.

The day Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez will step inside the ring to face Miguel Cotto in a 12 round bout at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Yeah, no need to pinch yourself anymore.

Many questions will indeed be answered after 12 rounds (or less) of action between the two fighters. However, a microscope will likely be more on Alvarez than Cotto.

Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez could become a bonafide great Mexican fighter with a win tonight. Or he regroups the same way he had to regroup after his loss to Floyd Mayweather should Cotto come out victorious.

If Alvarez is feeling the pressure of a big fight, he sure isn't showing it. Why would he? Well, he has been a pro for 10 years now, when he made his pro debut at the age of 15. Alvarez was facing fighters over twice his age then, yet had to persevere and be victorious.

Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) has more to gain than he has to lose. He is only 25 years of age and still has a lot of years left in the sport.

Cotto? Well, not so much. It would be interesting to see how much the Puerto Rican star has left, especially if boxing fans believe his recent win-streak is more of a mirage because of the opponents he has faced.

Alvarez is a two to one favorite to defeat Cotto tonight. Are those odds too one-sided in favor of "Canelo' or do the oddsmakers see something that even Cotto and trainer Freddie Roach do not see?

Even the consensus amongst numerous boxing writers and insiders is that Alvarez will be too much for Cotto. Some predict a knockout by Alvarez.

With so much on the line, it would be hard-pressed to believe Alvarez will not win on Saturday. Despite not looking his best in close wins over Erislandy Lara and Austin Trout, Alvarez's boxing IQ is far beyond his 25 years of age.

Cotto (40-4, 33 KOs) does have a dangerous left hook and it could change the momentum of the fight at anytime. But wouldn't he have to land that punch during exchanges between the two? For Cotto to win, many believe he would have to utilize his superior ring generalship and boxing ability.

Alvarez is too strong and has youth on his side. Experience is golden in boxing, but it is hard to believe the experience Cotto possesses can trump the strength and aggressive attack Alvarez possess.

Alvarez has learned his lesson from the Floyd Mayweather fight that a 'blueprint' can only go so far. Even with the weight of support from Mexican and Mexican-American fight fans, Alvarez will not waste an opportunity to win, especially when that opponent is Miguel Cotto.

With the win, Alvarez still has a ways to go before he is mentioned in the same breath as Ricardo 'Finito' Lopez, Salvador Sanchez, and even Julio Cesar Chavez.

There are still many great fights down the line for Alvarez, but a win over Cotto could bring about more respect from those who believe Alvarez is just a marketing dream for Golden Boy Promotions.

Cotto-Alvarez is a solid fight on paper and will be a solid fight in the ring. Whether Cotto was stripped of a world title or not, Alvarez winning the title does not make him any better or worse than Cotto when he held the title.

Or Gennady Golovkin, whom many believe is the legitimate middleweight champion.

A win for Alvarez would mean a lot. Then again, a win will probably mean more for Mexico, considering any fight between a Mexican and Puerto Rican fighter brings the best and the worst out in this rivalry.

November 21 is finally here. Do not blink.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing