Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will feel he is fighting against the boxing establishment when he takes on Gennady Golovkin on Saturday.
The pair met 12 months ago when they fought to a controversial draw over 12 rounds at the same T-Mobile Arena they will do battle at this weekend.
Not only did the majority of ringside observers feel Canelo lost his first fight to the Kazakh 12 months ago, but he has come under fierce criticism for failing a drugs test earlier this year.
Since then the pair has been embroiled in a war of words following the Mexican's failed drugs test earlier this year which saw him banned for six months.
But win, lose, or draw (again), Golovkin will fight on after the final bell at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.
Here, we take a look at five potential options for the Kazakh wrecking machine.
- David Lemieux or Gary 'Spike' O'Sullivan
A potential war on the Canelo vs GGG 2 undercard, the Irishman has picked up where Billy Joe Saunders left off, delivering the Canadian a torrent of abuse on social media.
Neither Golovkin or Canelo will be keen to be matched hard after this one, and while both Lemieux and O'Sullivan pose a threat, their fan-friendly styles would mean a fight with the winner of the main event would be somewhat acceptable next.
- Daniel Jacobs or Sergiy Derevyanchenko
The vacant IBF world middleweight title, stripped from GGG after he opted to fight Vanes Martirosyan instead of Derevyanchenko, is on the line with arguably Golovkin's toughest test to date in Jacobs in with a shot of becoming a two-time world champion.
If Saunders proves tricky to deal with in negotiations and Golovkin emerges victorious over Canelo, a chance to pick up his old belt may prove tempting - not to mention the clamour to beat Jacobs convincingly this time, given some maintain the Brooklyn fighter deserved to sneak a decision over the Kazakhstani.
Cruelly denied a shot at Saunders on two occasions, one of the hardest working fighters out there, at 35, is still pursuing the crowning moment of his career, and could emerge as a respectable stay-busy opponent for either Canelo or Golovkin (again, though less likely).
- Billy Joe Saunders or Demetrius Andrade
Four fights in as many years have held him back, but despite the wishes of his promoter, Eddie Hearn, 'Boo Boo' leapt at the chance to have a shot at Saunders, in his backyard no less, with the Brit travelling once again to defend his title, this time in Boston.
Some believe he will blossom into the most formidable middleweight on the planet, his stardom has risen, yet not soared since the devastating left-uppercut dispatched Julian Williams in 2016.
"Next fight in November," we're told. "I’m going to knock his [Golovkin's] a** out.” We'll see, perhaps the winner of the rematch vs this Charlo will quickly become one of the most sort-after fights in the sport.
