NEW YORK — Although he believes that Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto will “most definitely” dethrone Austin Trout as WBA titleholder in Saturday night’s Showtime-televised clash at New York’s Madison Square Garden, WBC beltholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez said he would have no problem facing Trout if the southpaw turns in a “terrific” winning performance.

Alvarez is coming off September’s Showtime-televised, fifth-round stoppage of Josesito Lopez that ran the 22-year-old Mexican star’s record to 41-0-1, with 30 knockouts.

Alvarez has targeted a return to the ring for May 4, and badly desires a clash with the 32-year-old Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs) that would stoke the Puerto Rican-Mexican rivalry.

Still, he disputes assertions by Trout (25-0, 14 KOs) that he would turn down a fight against the resident of Las Cruces, New Mexico, partiturlarly if he looks good in defeating Cotto.

Alvarez also recalled the fact that he was ringside for Trout’s unanimous decision victory over his then-34-year-old brother, Rigoburto Alvarez, in February of last year that ended his sibling’s three-bout winning streak and earned Trout’s current belt before their partisan fans at the Arena Colseo in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Alvarez, meanwhile, owns a ninth-round stoppage win over Miguel Cotto’s older brother, Jose Miguel Cotto, handing the loser only his second loss in 34 fights and stopping him for the first time in his career during his Las Vegas debut in May of 2010.

Alvarez participated in a Q&A with RingTV.com on Thursday moments before boarding a flight at Guadalajara Internantional in order to be ringside for Saturday night’s Cotto-Trout clash.

Alvarez’s interview was translated by Golden Boy’s Ramiro Gonzalez, who spoke from his cell phone in a New York coffee shop a few doors down from where Trout was about to hold an open workout for the media at the Trinity Boxing Club.

RingTV.com: Who is going to win, Cotto or Trout?

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez: Most definitely, I think Miguel Cotto is going to win.

RingTV.com: How does the fight transpire?

SCA: At the beginning, there are going to be problems for Cotto because of their styles, with Trout being a southpaw.

But little by little, Cotto’s going to start to dominate that scenario, and, eventually, he’s going to knock out Austin Trout.

RingTV.com: What would Trout have to do to make him a viable option as an opponent for you?

SCA: It’s up to my promoters, and it’s up to the public opinion. I’m here to fight the best. If he looks terrific, why not fight him.

I never ducked nobody, because in this business, I’m in it to fight. So if Trout looks very good, then, yes, let’s do the fight.

RingTV.com: How big is a fight between you and Cotto?

SCA: Well, you know that is a huge event. Can you imagine a Mexican against a Puerto Rican fighter again?

That’s a fight that can happen any place in the world. Any place. And it should be a great event. A huge, huge event.

RingTV.com: How do you expect to be received by the partisan Cotto fans when you are at Madison Square Garden to be ringside for the fight?

SCA: I will respect the fans’ decision, whatever manner in which they choose to welcome me. It’s up to them, and I have to respect it.

Whatever their choice is. If they’re booing me, then that’s fine. If they applaud me, that’s fine too. I will respect whatever the fans do.

RingTV.com: How was it for you being at ringside when Trout beat Rigoburto?

SCA: You know, I felt so bad. I was so frustrated because I was asking him to do some things in there, and he didn’t do it. I wanted to be in his place.

I wanted to be in the ring fighting with him that night. I felt so upset. I couldn’t accept the way that my brother was fighting that night.

I was rooting for my brother. I was so desperate for him to win. I was telling him, “hey, throw the left,” and, “what’s happening to you?”

I told him “you can do it, you’re the champion.” I was telling him to do this and to do that. It was something else. I couldn’t believe it.

RingTV.com: What would a victory over Cotto mean to you, considering you’ve already beaten his brother?

SCA: I don’t know how their family will feel about it, but for me, that would be a great thing.

Photo by Gene Blevins, Hogan Photos, Golden Boy Promotions

Photo by Tom Casino, Showtime

Photo by Etzel Espinosa, Hogan Photos, Golden Boy Promotions

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]