When this fight got made earlier in the summer, there was a mixed reception, largely due to Gennady Golovkin now being 40 years of age.
However, scenes of media and supporters congregating in Las Vegas on Tuesday reminded everyone that Canelo Alvarez and the Kazakh fighter share one of boxing's most fierce rivalries.
Canelo is coming off a rare defeat and Golovkin is now past his best, but the fact that things are far more personal than they were ahead of the first instalment makes this a must-watch for fans around the globe.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the background to the fight, which is for each of Canelo's five world title belts at super-middleweight.
FIRST TWO FIGHTS
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While the opening clash between these two fighters was not years in the making, it still felt long overdue when they finally went toe-to-toe at the T-Mobile Arena in September 2017.
All results felt possible with Canelo having progressed up the weight divisions unlike his opponent and Golovkin having seen his knockout streak come to an end with a hard-fought points triumph over Daniel Jacobs in his previous fight.
Although the first instalment was competitive throughout, the majority at ringside felt that Golovkin would have been a deserved victor. He outlanded Canelo in 10 of the 12 rounds and appeared to land the more telling blows, yet he only emerged victorious on one scorecard by 115-113.
Another judge scored it 114-114, but the real controversy came when Adalaide Byrd viewed it 118-110 in favour of Canelo. The fans in attendance, the extremely high majority supporting Canelo, venomously booed the decision, and the decision will live long in the memory for the wrong reasons.
A rematch was scheduled for May, but that had to be postponed due to Canelo testing positive for clenbuterol. The Mexican eventually served a six-month suspension, freeing him up to return in September, 12 months on from the initial bout.
Canelo would prevail by majority decision, winning 115-113 on two cards and the other judge scoring it 114-114. Most observers again had Golovkin winning - the Kazakh fighter landing 32 more punches during the 12 rounds - but Canelo was superior with power punches and body shots, and it ultimately won over the judges.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE?
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Canelo has been far more active over the past four years, having eight outings to his name in comparison to just the four for Golovkin.
The 32-year-old can also claim to have been in more competitive fights, chasing legacy and world titles at 168lbs and 175lbs, and sealing it with numerous eye-catching wins.
Sergey Kovalev, Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant have all been defeated along the way, but Canelo succumbed to a surprise defeat to WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in May.
The step up in size proved too great with the Russian a clear and deserved winner, even if each of the scorecards only read 115-113 with all three judges.
Of Golovkin's four bouts, only Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Ryota Murata were competitive, the latter giving the veteran all kinds of problems for four rounds during their showdown in Saitama, Japan.
However, despite Golovkin looking far past his best, his punch-power remained, and he ultimately got the stoppage in the ninth round.
VENUE
Like the first two fights, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will stage this blockbuster fight, and the surroundings are far more familiar to Canelo than Golovkin.
Seven of his 61 outings have come at the venue, his first being the showdown with Amir Khan back in 2016, and Vegas has been a second home to Canelo for more than a decade.
Since beating Jose Cotto in 2010, Canelo has competed in Nevada on 15 occasions, and it is in sharp contrast to Golovkin's visit to the city.
His only two matches have been against Canelo, but the legendary Kazakh has fought on 15 occasions in the United States since his Stateside debut in September 2012.
PROS AND CONS FOR EACH FIGHTER
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The most obvious pro in Canelo's favour is age. There is an eight-year difference between these two fighters, and while that has always been the case, Golovkin's best chance of victory against Canelo came when he was 35.
Golovkin has fought just 32 rounds in four years, something that you would assume has extended his longevity in the sport, but there were signs against Murata that age was catching up on him.
That is certainly not ideal when Canelo is one of the most spiteful body punchers in the sport. A total of 46 landed in the second fight, and if it is a repeat performance on that front, the expectation is that Golovkin will slow considerably.
Both fighters have fight-ending power in their gloves, as well as chins and durability which have lasted throughout their careers. It means that there will need to be a certain level of thought put into their strategies, even if the personal nature of this fight points towards yet another slugfest.
Golovkin is marginally the taller fighter, but the pair share the same reach, again pointing to tactics needing to become a part of their arsenal as well as maximising their physical attributes.
PREDICTION
Ahead of the previous two fights, bookmakers were unable to overwhelmingly split the fighters. On this occasion, however, Canelo is the clear favourite.
All things considered, it is difficult to argue against that. He has age, speed, movement and versatility all in his favour, as well as a motivation to bounce back from the Bivol defeat.
Golovkin has the tools to keep the fight competitive and his opponent wary of what is being thrown back at him, while he may be approaching this fight as one which could be his last inside the squared circle.
Nevertheless, we expect Canelo to run away with this contest, restricting Golovkin to a couple of rounds and perhaps forcing a stoppage in the closing stages if Golovkin is taking too much punishment.
Darren Plant
