ESPN.com reported Friday night that WBC light middleweight titlist Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has agreed to defend his belt against shopworn former three-division champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley on May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Canelo (39-0-1, 29 KOs) and Mosley (46-7-1-1-, 39 KOs) will throw fists on a card headlined by a 154-pound bout pitting WBC world welterweight king "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather versus Puerto Rican icon and WBA world light-welterweight titleholder Miguel Cotto.

"Sugar Shane," who was utterly outclassed by legendary prizefighter Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao in a lopsided unanimous decision loss in his previous scrap last May, told Dan Rafael of ESPN.com that he is thrilled to battle "Canelo."

"This is more of a fight to prove myself. I know I didn't look good in my last couple of fights and I really to make a statement in this fight," said Mosley, 40, an admitted abuser of performance enhancing drugs who is a pedestrian 2-3-1 in his last six bouts. "I just want to get in the ring, fight a world champion and win another belt. I'm very excited and happy. It's another chance for me to show that I still belong. He's a young guy and it's a tough fight, but I'm excited to get the fight. A lot of guys want to be in the position I am in to have this type of fight."

Alvarez, a true Mexican superstar who started boxing professionally at the ludicrous age of 15, is the preeminent welterweight prospect in the world.

"This is the fight I was looking for. Shane Mosley is a tremendous fighter with a lot of experience and big victories in his storied career," said Alvarez, 21. "Even though I have enormous respect and admiration for Mosley, because he is a great person outside of the ring, my goal is to defeat him with a great performance."

"Canelo" has spectacular power in both of his fists and his punches land with a resounding thud.

The precocious Mexican has all the necessary skills and abilities to soon command the boxing landscape for years to come.

At this stage in their respective careers, Alvarez will badly batter the weathered graybeard.

Roger "Pit" Perron is a venerable boxing trainer from Brockton (Mass.) who now works with Mike and Rich Cappiello at their gym, Cappiello Brothers Boxing and Training.

Perron is a fan of Mosley and he contends "Sugar Shane" will at the very least force the action in the ring.

"Mosley is a tough guy," said Perron, 75, who helped work with Marvelous Marvin Hagler in the 1980s. "He has quick hands, he will press the fight, and he is a legit welterweight who has fought real champions."

Mosley, who has likely forged a Hall of Fame resume in the squared circle, predicts his ring savvy will allow him to prevail.

"To fight someone like Canelo Alvarez will be tremendous for me at this stage of my career," said Mosley. "I believe I'm a lot more experienced than he is. It's youth against experience. It's 'Sugar' against 'Cinnamon.'"

On Cinco de Mayo, expect "Cinnamon" to savagely knockout "Sugar" within seven rounds.

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