Liam Smith expects Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez to stop Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Saturday and move on to fight Gennady Golovkin next.
Smith was knocked out by a body shot in the ninth round last September by Alvarez [48-1-1, 34 KOs], who faces his rival Mexican Chavez Jr. [50-2-1, 32 KOs] at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Alvarez meets Chavez at a catchweight of 164.5 pounds after dropping down to super-welterweight to take Smith's WBO world title.
Briton Smith [25-1-1, 14 KOs] expects Canelo to continue his recent good form and claim his fourth stoppage win from his last five fights.
"I don't think Chavez has got a chance, but I think it will be a good fight," Smith told ESPN.
"It just depends what Chavez turns up. If it's the same Chavez against Andy Lee [in 2012, by 7th round TKO] that turns up, it will be a tough fight for Canelo.
"But we haven't seen that Chavez for a number of years and I think Canelo wins in round six in a very good, entertaining fight, along the lines of Canelo's fight with James Kirkland [WKO 3 in 2015].
"What's the best Chavez we've seen? It was a long time ago. But a lot of pride is a stake and a lot of needle. If Chavez can't get up for an all-Mexican fight with Canelo, he can't get up for any fight.
"What impressed me about Canelo was his speed and timing, not so much his power that made you think f--- that, but his explosiveness.
"I fell short with two jabs early on against him and I saw him flip and hit me, I knew it was coming, and I thought I can't keep getting hit like that. But it was hard to avoid."
Alvarez says he will return to fighting at middleweight after Saturday and promoters are hopeful about a much-anticipated match-up with world middleweight No. 1 Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs), speculated to happen on Sept. 16.
Smith prefers Triple G to the Mexican if the fight gets made this year.
"I think the fight with Golovkin will get made next for both fighters," Smith told ESPN. "I've always said Triple G wins, but I think Canelo will be willing and he will look very good in that fight, but may be get stopped."
Smith, from Liverpool, is hoping a rematch with Liam Williams can be made for July or September after the Welshman was retired by his corner with a bad cut in the ninth round a month ago.