This week, Las Vegas is at the centre of the sporting world.

On Saturday night, pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford will leap two divisions and challenge Mexican superstar Canelo Álvarez for the undisputed super middleweight title.

A crowd of around 70,000 is expected to watch the mega-fight at Allegiant Stadium. The first fight of a busy week took place on Wednesday afternoon.

As the boxers competing on Saturday night's card got ready to shadowbox and hit pads at the traditional open workout, Liverpool's Mikie Tallon (10-0, 1 KO) was preparing for a real fight.

The British flyweight got the festivities officially underway by impressively beating Christian Robles (9-4, 4 KOs) over six rounds.

Robles was the toughest test of Tallon’s career but the 20-year-old handled both the Mexican and occasion well. He dropped Robles with a picture-perfect overhand right in the third round before punctuating a solid performance by putting him over again in the final round with a well picked right uppercut.

Tallon's trainer Joe Gallagher, has banged the drum loudly for the promising Liverpudlian and found plenty to be positive about after a whirlwind week.

"I was really pleased with Mikie's performance last night," Gallagher told The Ring.

"Bear in mind we only flew in on the Saturday and everything was sort of lastminute.com. I got cleared to fly on the Thursday, we got our flight details Saturday, we arrived Saturday and then we haven't had a chance to breathe really.

“Obviously we had a good training session on Sunday, medicals on Monday, weigh-in Tuesday and fought last night [Wednesday] against a very good kid from a good gymnasium, The Wildcard. He’s been in with some really good kids as a fighter and as a sparring partner.

"It was Mikie's U.S debut and I thought he boxed very well and showed good composure. I don't think he felt any pressure at all and he's been able to show the type of form that I know that he's capable of.”

The great and the good of the boxing world swarm to a fight of the magnitude of Canelo vs. Crawford and whilst his big moment came early in fight week, Tallon was able to display his talents to a whole host of influential people.

Riyadh Season head and chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alashikh, has stressed repeatedly he wants to give young, hungry fighters an opportunity to perform.

Alalshikh watched the action ringside and made a point of congratulating Tallon and Gallagher after the fight.

“It was a good win and he impressed lots of people here,” Gallagher said.

“His Excellency, Turki, was very impressed with him and spoke good things and you can't ask for a better U.S pro debut so I’m really pleased.”