Amir Khan and Canelo Alvarez take swipe at US presidential candidate Donald Trump

Trump has previously railed against Muslims and Mexicans

(Getty)

Amir Khan and his opponent Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez have both taken shots at US presidential candidate Donald Trump ahead of their world title fight in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

The hotly anticipated WBC middleweight clash pits Briton Khan, a Muslim, against the Mexican champion - the controversial Republican candidate has said in the course of his election campaign that he plans to build a wall along the Mexican-American border and has previously called for a "total and complete" ban on Muslims entering the US.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the fight, Khan joked: "You never know - this could be the last fight here for me and Canelo if Donald Trump becomes president!"

Us presidential candidate Donald Trump has previously spoken out against Mexicans and Muslims

Canelo had earlier said: "I don’t really like getting into political issues but it hurts, it offends, I would like him to understand us. When I’m out running, I see a lot of my countrymen working hard, they have not come here to rob and steal.

"We want to show him that we Mexicans come here to succeed and be victorious."

Khan, 29, has taken a huge risk accepting the Mexican champion, moving up two weight classes to fight the heavy punching middleweight. The 25-year-old Alvarez has lost just one of his 48 fights, to Floyd Mayweather, winning 32 by knockout.

Bolton-born Khan, who has lost three of his 34 fights, admitted he does not have the power to beat Alvarez, but is determined to use his speed and skill to outwit the bigger fighter.

"I'm going to hit Canelo and he's probably not going to feel it, but skill is going to win it," said Khan. "I don't want to be involved in exchanges, standing in front of him giving him free shots. I know he can hurt me with one big shot.

"So I have to make sure I'm balanced when I'm throwing my own shots. It's all about being disciplined and sticking to the game-plan for 12 rounds.

"Before, I've not respected guys who have knocked me down or out. This fight I know I can be hurt so I'll be on the edge and my defences will be sharper.

"A fight against Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao would have been easier because they're my weight, so physically I would have been stronger.

"Canelo is going to be stronger, but things I have that are better than him are speed and movement."