By Francisco Salazar

HOUSTON, TEXAS — So now that Saul "Canelo" Alvarez did what he had to do, will Miguel Cotto do the same thing?

Alvarez scored an emphatic highlight-reel third round knockout over James Kirkland before 31,588 boisterous fans at Minute Maid Park.

There had been numerous discussions regarding Alvarez facing Miguel Cotto sometime in the future. For that to happen, Cotto must defeat Daniel Geale on June 6. That bout will take place at  Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. and will be televised live on HBO.

There were discussions between Golden Boy and Top Rank in the past for a possible Cotto-Alvarez match-up, but that never materialized. Alvarez is represented by Golden Boy Promotions, while Cotto was represented by Top Rank. Cotto recently signed with Roc Nation, which is led by Jay-Z.

Roc Nation representatives were at ringside for the Alvarez-Kirkland fight. Could Cotto sign on the dotted line should he get by Geale?

"We have had [ongoing] discussions with them [Roc Nation representatives]," promoter Oscar De La Hoya told a small group of reporters after the fight. "We are hoping to make a fight happen. But if a fight can't be made, then we'll move on to plan B (for Alvarez)."

Alvarez is also hoping for a Cotto fight, but that is one of many fights the 24-year-old hopes for in the coming years.

"I will continue to fight the best fighters," said Alvarez, who said he would like to fight again in September or October. "That is what I do. I fight for myself and for the fans. I'm not afraid of any fighter. He [Cotto] is a champion and the kind of fighter I want to fight."

"[But] he should worry about whom he is fighting on June 6. I already won my fight. I like to watch boxing. I will watch the fight [Cotto-Geale] on [television]."

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