LAGUNA PUEBLO — If Canelo Alvarez really means what he said Thursday, Austin Trout will be happy to fight him in May — or anytime, anywhere.

But Trout, five days removed from his landmark victory over Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden, will believe Trout-Alvarez is happening when the ink’s dry on the contract.

Trout, of Las Cruces, has come north to support friend and training partner Siju Shabazz in the latter’s professional boxing debut. Shabazz is scheduled to fight Albuquerque’s Ricky Villafuerte in a four-round light heavyweight bout on the Holly Holm-Diana Prazak undercard at Route 66 Casino Hotel.

“It sounds good,” Trout said at Thursday’s weigh-in, regarding comments from Alvarez and his manager that the Mexican star would be willing to risk his perfect record against Trout’s perfect record next spring. “Let’s see if it really goes through. I’ll be ready for him by May, more than ready.

“I don’t want to get too excited yet; you never know. He could be talking, but his promoter (Golden Boy Promotions) might say, ‘No, I’m not doing it.’ ”

Trout (26-0, 14 knockouts) is the WBA junior middleweight champion; Alvarez (40-0, 30 KOs) holds the WBC title at the same weight.

But Trout hasn’t narrowed his focus to Alvarez, mentioning Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Sergio Martinez and Cornelius Bundrage as possible foes.

Trout said he’ll rely on Al Haymon, his adviser and one of boxing’s most influential deal-makers, to make a deal.

“If it comes from Al Haymon,” he said, “then I know it’s legit.”

BRAEKHUS VIDEO: Lenny Fresquez, Holm’s promoter, was unhappy with a video disseminated by World Boxing News in which undefeated Norwegian Cecilia Braekhus calls out Holm in no uncertain terms.

Braekhus’ German promotional firm, Sauerland Events, produced the video. It contains footage of Holm’s Dec. 2, 2011, knockout loss to Anne-Sophie Mathis, followed by video of Braekhus’ victory over Mathis in September — neglecting to mention that Holm avenged her loss to Mathis in June.

“I do understand if you are avoiding me,” Braekhus says in the video, speaking directly to Holm.

Braekhus then challenges Holm to meet her in Las Vegas, Nev., in July, to settle the issue of who is the best pound-for-pound female fighter.

Fresquez confirmed at Thursday’s weigh-in that talks with the Braekhus camp are ongoing, and that Las Vegas in July has been discussed as one possibility.

He was not disturbed by the existence of the video, he said, but found the content offensive and disrespectful.

Fresquez said he remains confident Holm will beat Braekhus whenever and wherever that match is made.
— This article appeared on page D6 of the Albuquerque Journal