Canelo Álvarez vs. Jermell Charlo: Fight Odds, Live Stream, Predictions | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Is Canelo Fading?

As the odds would indicate, Canelo Àlvarez in his prime would be a heavy favorite over Jermell Charlo. As good as Charlo is, Àlvarez is at least equally skilled and has already shown he can be successful at 168 pounds.

That makes the question of whether or not Àlvarez is still in his prime as the biggest question in this bout. Àlvarez is now 33 years old and time doesn't spare anyone. He is 2-1 in his last three fights but none have stood out as excellent performances.

He cruised to a unanimous decision over a clearly overmatched John Ryder and earned a razor-thin decision win over Gennadiy Golovkin after a loss to Dmitrii Bivol. Canelo has heard the criticism, but doesn't agree that he's on the decline.

"I agree that a couple fights I don't look the same, but that doesn't mean other things," Àlvarez said, per Mike Coppinger of ESPN. "I feel fresh, I feel young and I feel strong. I feel in my prime, and you will see Saturday."

This is a perfect opportunity for him to answer those critics. Charlo is a skilled opponent who should push him more than Ryder did. If Canelo isn't slipping he'll easily handle it. If he's losing a step, it'll show up Saturday night.

Will Charlo's Skills Translate at 168 Pounds?

From Charlo's perspective, the biggest story of the fight is how well he handles jumping two weight classes. The leap from 154 pounds to 168 pounds isn't insignificant.

The list of fighters who have been able to jump up two weight classes and win a title is short and prestigious. Àlvarez is one of the few to do it when he jumped from middleweight to light heavyweight (from 160 pounds to 175 pounds).

The fact that Charlo is attempting to do the same thing against a fighter with as much pound-for-pound significance as Canelo only makes it more impressive.

The question is whether Charlo is up to the task. His trainer, Derrick James, believes he is.

"He has the tools to do it," James said, per Tashan Reed of The Athletic. "He has the speed. He has the skills. He has the athleticism. All those things are coming together, and we've helped build and develop a great strategy around everything he can do. So, he'll go out there and put it to work."

If it's respect that Charlo is after, going up and taking down a giant in Àlvarez will certainly do it.