Saul "Canelo" Alvarez-Lovemore N'dou Fight to Be Aired on HBO Latino in the U.S.

Per a Golden Boy press release today, the December 4 fight between rising star Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and former 140-pound titlist and current IBO welterweight beltholder Lovemore N'dou will be aired on Televisa in Mexico and HBO Latino in the United States.

Alvarez (34-0-1, 26 KO) is coming off of a knockout victory over faded ex-welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir on September 18. In that fight, Alvarez fought in Los Angeles for the first time in his career and received a wonderful reception from the crowd. The 20-year-old phenom will return to the rings of Mexico for this bout, headlining at Estadio Beto Avila in Veracruz.

His opponent N'dou (48-11-2, 31 KO) is a sturdy veteran who has fought the likes of Matthew Hatton, Paul Malignaggi, and Kermit Cintron. Despite 11 losses on his record, he's never been stopped, which I expect will be a big piece of the marketing for this fight and a way to try and legitimize it as something more than a prospect taking on a fringe contender who is too small for him. N'dou is 39 years old and while he is just an inch shorter than Alvarez at 5'8", their body types are very different and Alvarez will have a three-inch reach advantage. N'dou doesn't have a big frame for his height. Alvarez does. Frankly speaking, this is a physical mismatch and a one more brick of predictable hype for Alvarez to close out 2010. Should he win as expected, he will be 5-0 in 2010, but a very expected 5-0, too.

But it's good news for fight fans in the States, as this means there will be a free alternative to that night's Top Rank PPV, headlined by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. taking on Alfonso Gomez.