Even before Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) defeated Miguel Cotto (40-5, 33 KOs) for the WBC middleweight belt last Saturday, talks of a possible fight with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) were already abuzz.

Reportedly, no less than Top Rank boss Bob Arum revealed the potential mega-fight to Los Angeles Times boxing writer Lance Pugmire before the Cotto-Canelo showdown.

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"Bob Arum told me this week that Manny Pacquiao may be on the table for you," Pugmire told Canelo before the Cotto bout, as per Boxing News 24.

"Yes, of course, it's a fight (against Pacquiao) that could happen in the future, but right now my focus is on Miguel Cotto 100 percent and nobody else. I am not thinking about the future," Canelo responded.

And now that he is finished with Cotto, it's probably time to accept the opportunity of facing arguably the second greatest fighter of the last decade.

However, reports are out that the Mexican brawler seems to lean on a match with the reigning unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBC (interim) and IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs) first before considering Pac-Man.

"If you want me to fight him (Golovkin) right now, put the gloves on and I'll fight him right now," Canelo told Max Kellerman during the post-match interview inside the ring, as per SB Nation. "I respect he's a great champion, but right now I'll put the gloves on against him."

Meanwhile, Golden Boy Promotions chief Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo's promoter, said that his fighter's bout with GGG "will happen", but the question of when cannot be answered yet.

De La Hoya confirmed that he is planning to put Alvarez in a May-September fight schedule starting next year, which "effectively replaces the role that Floyd Mayweather has held over the past few years".

If that's the case, then Canelo will have to face Pacquiao first before GGG, not the other way around, as Arum announced that the Filipino icon's last fight would be in April 2016 so he could have ample time to prepare to run for a Senate seat in his native Philippines in May.

For Pacquiao-Alvarez to push through, De La Hoya must forego his plan of letting Canelo fight in May. Moreover, it should also be noted that the WBC has mandated Canelo to fight GGG as soon as possible or his belt will be relinquished.

Tags Boxing News, Boxing News & Rumors, canelo alvarez, manny pacquiao, gennady golovkin