Canelo wishes: I am aiming for the knockout – and I will get it!

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez wants to strengthen his dominance of the middleweight division here on Saturday, when he will face Daniel Jacobs in a highly anticipated unification bout.

The Mexican Alvarez puts his World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council association titles against Jacobs at the T-Mobile Arena in a bid to claim the belt of the International Boxing Federation.

The two boxers almost played each other face to face during the official weigh-in on Friday.

Jacobs then verbally insulted Canelo for pushing him and trying to make things more physical.

"I prefer to talk once I'm in the ring and my boxing will speak for itself," said Jacobs (35 wins, two losses, 29 losses). "I have never intended to create this animosity in this preparatory phase, to sell the fight or to hit my opponent.

"I never wanted to do that, it's never been in my nature, I know that boxing is only a sport," added Jacobs, nicknamed " Miracle Man "after defeating a rare form of bone cancer earlier in his career.

Alvarez (51-1-2, 35 KOs) has not fought since the demolition of the British Rocky Fielding in three rounds in December, to grab the "normal" WBA title.

The 28-year-old is back at his favorite weight for Saturday's bout against Jacobs, who has scored three points wins since a deadly loss in 2017 over 12 innings against former champion Gennady Golovkin.

While the fight coincides with the festive weekend of Cinco de Mayo in Mexico, Alvarez should once again enjoy broad support in an arena that he had defeated for the last time after defeating Golovkin by decision majority in September.

Alvarez also won a controversial draw with Golovkin in the same spot a year earlier, a fight that, according to Jacobs, should have been awarded to the Kazakh champion.

Alvarez, meanwhile, promised to take the decision from the hands of the judges.

"I am ready, ready to beat him, ready to continue writing history, as I have always done," said the Mexican.

"I'm a boxer who has been facing all boxing styles – maybe he's taller, but it does not bother me, I'm aiming for the knockout and I'm going to get it."

Saturday's battle is the second of a lucrative $ 365 million contract signed by Alvarez with the DAZN streaming company last October.

If successful on Saturday, Alvarez could then face the American Demetrius Andrade, WBO champion, or a third dazzling fight with Golovkin to settle their rivalry.