Canelo Alvarez: If I didn't want to fight Lara, the fight wouldn't be happening

Canelo Alvarez has obviously heard enough from Erislandy Lara, who continues to claim that Alvarez didn't really want to fight him, and that the Mexican star was pressured into the bout via a social media campaign by the Cuban, who faces Alvarez on Saturday, live on Showtime PPV.

"I'm not going to get into his games," Canelo said this week. "If I didn't want the fight, the fight wouldn't be happening. The fight is here because I wanted the fight. And on July 12th we're going to see who hits who."

Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO) has admitted, and still does, that Lara (19-1-2, 12 KO) has gotten to him a bit, and that part of the reason he's fighting him is because he's been offended by some of Lara's comments.

"This is real. This is very personal," he said. "You guys know me. That's not my character to be promoting and be talking for promotional issues. This is personal. He offended me. He offended my person. He offended Mexican boxing. So, yes, it's very personal."

Canelo added another old adage: once it's all said and done, it will come down to the fighters only in the ring.

"Lara and his camp have their strategy and they're working their game plan. But I'm comfortable with mine," he said. "I'm working very hard. I'm working for this fight. Every fight is different. You prepare for every opponent differently. And I'm very confident that come July 12th once we're in the ring all the other stuff goes out the window and it's just him and I up in the ring. And that's what I'm preparing for, and that's what's going to take care of business on the 12th."