For years, former world champion Bernard Hopkins - as a partner in Golden Boy Promotions - had promoted Mexican superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. 

Canelo parted ways with Golden Boy in 2020.

Hopkins will be an interested observer this Saturday, when Canelo returns to the light heavyweight division to challenge WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Hopkins is expecting Canelo, who stopped his last three opponents, to come away with another dominant victory.

“He smashes him. Mashed potatoes all over the place. Another smash event, smashes him. I mean, people are really excited – yeah, to see Canelo, whether he can stay mentally and physically on top as he has been. That’s all we really looking for, people that know," Hopkins told Fighthype.com.

The Hall of Famer does not expect Bivol's physical advantages to play a role in the fight.

“If Canelo didn’t have the attributes, the talent that he has, yes. But that’s not the case, we’re talking fantasy if we’re talking about that, it’s a fantasy. Things are so basically one-sided from a person like myself and others out there that would agree. It’s about what Canelo wants to do, not what Bivol is going to do," Hopkins said.

Sergio Mora, another former world champion, is also backing Canelo to walk away with a new belt.

In order to upset the odds, Mora believes Bivol must take a lot more chances during the fight.

“[Bivol is] going to have to be special because Bivol is going to have to get out of character in order to beat Canelo. That jab [that Bivol uses] is going to give him issues, and the power and size is going to give Canelo issues. But it’s not going to be enough to win," Mora said to Fighthype.

“Caleb Plant gave Canelo some issues with the jab, some issues with the movement. But he didn’t have the experience, size, or the power to do anything else, and ultimately, he got knocked out in the eleventh. Kovalev had the size but didn’t have the commitment and got knocked out in the eleventh. I think Bivol might be in the same boat. He’s going to have to show up and show out.”