By Miguel Rivera

Mexico's Rigoberto "Espanol" Alvarez had an excellent training camp. The former WBA-interim junior middleweight champion is heading off to Australia, where he plans to face former multi-division beltholder Anthony Mundine on October 19. Alvarez (27-3, 20 KO's) is traveling to Australia with his training team of Chepo Reynoso and Oscar Larios, who are both scheduled to work his corner at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. The vacant WBA interim-title will be up for grabs.

Before boarding the plane, "Espanol" received a long goodbye with a warm embrace from his younger brother, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the current WBC junior middleweight chamopion. Canelo urged him to return home with the title.

"I'm very motivated, I feel very strong and ready to regain the belt that I won from Nobuhiro Ishida," said Rigoberto Álvarez.

Anthony Mundine, three years older than his Mexican rival, held the WBA title at 168-pounds between March 2007 and May 2008.

Mundine (42-4, 25 KOs) will attempt to raise his own local status, as he wants to force a title opportunity in 2012.