LAS VEGAS – Maybe it wasn’t the exact unbeaten 27-year-old the world wanted to see Saul “Canelo” Alvarez fight on Saturday night, but by biting down on his mouthpiece and grinding out a rugged unanimous decision victory over Jaime Munguia, the proud champion was indeed able to affirm his position.

“If the money is right, I can fight right now,” said Alvarez (61-2-2) in the ring following his triumph by scores of 117-110, 116-111, 115-112.

Watching the undisputed super middleweight champion from ringside was the WBC’s former 168-pound champion, David Benavidez, who has yearned to force a fight with Alvarez.

“I’ve fought everyone and I can do what I want,” Alvarez said after reeling off an impressive resume of past foes his critics once questioned whether he would ever fight: Erislandy Lara, Gennady Golovkin, Miguel Cotto, etc.

With his 34th birthday arriving next month, Alvarez is setting his sights on how to maximize his earnings, all while still being able to prove what a persistent, unbending talent he is.

Asked if Benavidez comes next, he said, “We’ll see. Everybody asked me for everything, to fight everyone, and I always did. Now, I can ask for what I want next.”

That didn’t please everyone, and a burst of boos rained in T-Mobile Arena at that response.

That dual athletic and business stubbornness may lead him to accept a September date against a lighter touch – his unbeaten mandatory WBA challenger Edgar Berlanga – rather than the formidable Benavidez.

WBA president Gilberto Mendoza said that as a result of rotating mandatory responsibilities an undisputed champion must tend to among the four sanctioning bodies, it’s the WBA champion, not the WBC, who is now first in line to meet Alvarez.

Or, potentially, someone such as Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh could open the bank vault for Benavidez.

Sitting ringside Saturday, the naturally bigger Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), who is heading to a light heavyweight debut June 15 against former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, told friends he retains confidence that he can defeat Alvarez if he can ever get him in the ring.

Earlier Saturday, Benavidez said he thinks it’s “unfair” that the WBC will give him only 10 days after his bout to decide whether to continue possessing his mandatory position as top contender to Alvarez or pursue his future as a light heavyweight.

“They’re putting me in a really hard situation,” Benavidez said. “I’ve been in that [top contender] spot for three years, and to only have 10 days to decide for that is unfair. If I can get the fight with Canelo, that’s the fight that everyone wants to see.

“If the fight’s not going to happen immediately, then 175 it is.”

In the first three rounds of the traditional Cinco de Mayo weekend affair, the younger Munguia charged ahead like one of those thunderous bulls that rage inside his hometown Tijuana bullrings, delivering hammering blows on Alvarez that compared favorably to those sent the champion’s way during his loss two years ago to Russian light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.

“I came out strong and was winning the early rounds,” Munguia (43-1) said. “I let my hands go. But he’s a fighter with a lot of experience.

"There’s no doubt I would have beaten anyone else tonight. I caught him with good punches. I hurt him a little bit during a few rounds. But he’s a fighter who creates a lot of problems."

Alvarez was engaged in heavy-handed combat with the younger former 154-pound champion in the fourth round when Alvarez unleashed a vicious uppercut that decked Munguia for the first time in his career.

That didn’t entirely calm Munguia, but it heartened Alvarez and sent him on a mission to attack the body, which reduced the thunder of Munguia’s aggression and allowed the champion to widen his lead on the scorecards en route to his triumph.

“He was in great shape, great condition. … I started falling into his game and he beat me with his experience,” Munguia said.

Alvarez explained, “Munguia is a great fighter. He's strong and smart. But I have 12 rounds to win the fight, and I did. I did really good and I’m proud of it. He’s a little slow. I could see every punch.

“That’s why I’m the best.”

And that’s why he calls all the shots.