Avni Yildrim looks to knock Canelo Alvarez from his perch Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium

The Miami Dolphins awarded boxing champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez with a team jersey during his first visit to Hard Rock Stadium on Monday afternoon.

Alvarez displayed the aqua No. 1 jersey with his nickname to media while posing for pictures with Avni Yildirim, whom he will fight Saturday night in the first boxing event at the stadium.

Dolphins fans only hope that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the player who currently wears No. 1, eventually matches Alvarez’s accomplishments. In boxing comparisons, Tagovailoa is a budding prospect and levels below Alvarez’s perch as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Alvarez, 30, will attempt to remain among boxing elite with his super-middleweight title defense against Yildirim. The fight headlines an eight-bout card, which will admit spectators but capped at 20 percent of the stadium’s 65,000-seat capacity in compliance with COVID-19 crowd restrictions.

“Every fighter that faces me comes with more motivation,” Alvarez said. “Obviously, we know Yildirim is a strong fighter who comes forward ready for battle.”

After a 13-month absence, which ended with his unanimous decision win over Callum Smith on Dec. 19, Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 knockouts) wants to remain busy in 2021. Defeating Smith netted the Mexico native a second sanctioning body super-middleweight belt. His objective is to finish the year as undisputed champion.

“I love boxing and I love being active, this is my life,” Alvarez said. “My experience and preparation allow me to keep busy all year. Hopefully that will be the case this year.”

Yildirim, of Turkey, is the prohibitive underdog to dethrone Alvarez. Two years since his last fight and now returning to face Alvarez looms as a tall order for Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs).

“I wouldn’t like to be treated as an underdog because I’m training for this for a long time,” Yildirim said through a translator in a recent Zoom call. “Yes, he’s a good athlete, but I am also training and I should be respected as well. I don’t feel respected when I’m asked about expectations. We both have chances.”

While they are christening a new boxing venue Saturday, Alvarez and Yildirim are no strangers to South Florida. Alvarez headlined a show at Miccosukee Resort and Gaming 12 years ago, and Yildirim won a decision over former light-heavyweight champion Glen Johnson at a card in Wynwood in 2015.

Alvarez’s championship pedigree features titles in four weight classes. In addition to being considered among the sport’s best fighters, Alvarez also has become its signature attraction.

Unlike recent crossover stars Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya, who rarely fought outside of Las Vegas arenas during their career peaks, Alvarez is moving some of his bouts to football and baseball stadiums. Alvarez already has fought at AT&T Stadium, Minute Maid Park and the Alamodome.

“Let’s hope that normalcy will arrive soon, and the stadium can be filled, but with 15,000 I feel very good, and if there were 1,000 it would be the same,” Alvarez said. “The support of the people is incredible, and I feel very grateful.

“You do feel the vibe of the fans when they are yelling and that motivates you much more. But you have to get into your head that in the end you are the only one up in the ring.”

Although he welcomes the opportunity of appearing in another football venue Saturday, Alvarez admits to little knowledge about the sport.

“I don’t know much about it, I did watch the Super Bowl because it has become a tradition,” Alvarez said. “More than anything, it is also another opportunity for cookouts and get-togethers.”