Mexican Independence Day weekend will rise to fever pitch in Dallas, Texas when Tapatio boxing idol Saul “Canelo” Alvarez takes on WBO light middleweight champion Liam Smith of England at Cowboys Stadium Saturday, September 17.

Few boxing experts believe Alvarez, 26, will slip up against the gritty fighter from Liverpool who will be making the third defense of his world title – but the first outside of England, in his first ever appearance on American soil.

Alvarez says he is not underestimating his opponent – “he punches really well, he’s very strong, very powerful, he likes to fight” – but many pundits say his real focus is on building up to a fight next year with Kazakhstan’s Gennady Golovkin, considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.  The Guadalajara native has been criticized for giving the impression that he is avoiding Golovkin but has promised the eagerly awaited fight “will happen sooner rather than later.”

The major issue in facing Golovkin would be Alvarez moving up to 160lbs from 154lbs, which he recognizes as his ideal weight.

The Alvarez-Smith fight will be broadcast on HBO pay-per-view,as well as some Mexican networks from around 10 p.m.