By Jake Donovan

If you are boxer and your opponent has Freddie Roach in the corner, don’t expect very much praise – at least not ahead of the fight.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and his team have come to learn this lesson heading into his showdown with reigning World middleweight king Miguel Cotto. The pair of boxing superstars collide this weekend at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, airing live on HBO Pay-Per-View (Saturday, 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT).

When the fight was first announced, Roach – who has trained Cotto (40-4, 33KOs) since 2013 - insisted to media during one of the pre-fight press tour stops that Alvarez (45-1-1, 32KOs) trained at one of his gyms at one point and that the results didn’t blow him away.

“He trained in one of my gyms, Wild Card West, and I didn’t always get good reports,” Roach said at the time, through cryptic with the details and admittedly not there to witness the sessions himself. “He was a little bit lazy at times…We have hard preparation ahead of us, but we will be ready and Cotto will win by knockout.”

When prompted for a response on the subject, Alvarez truly didn’t know what to say – since the former super welterweight champion had no clue as to the time frame Roach referenced.

“My recollection is I’ve never been to Freddie Roach’s gym,” Alvarez insisted, though not wishing to put too much stock into the comments. “My words are most important November the 21st in the ring.”

Alvarez’ team agrees with the boxer, refusing to get caught up in a war of words with the outspoken trainer – though still finding the time to take one parting shot.

“What Freddie says doesn't concern me. I believe he just opens his mouth just to hear himself talk,” Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’ trainer told HBO’s Kieran Mulvaney following the final pre-fight press conference Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas. “Canelo wouldn't be here today if he wasn't a disciplined fighter. That's proof enough.”

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox