By Miguel Maravilla
Mexican superstar, four division world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KO’s) is in for a tough challenge this weekend as he will face one of the top super middleweights, WBA Super champion Callum Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) of England. Canelo and Smith square off this Saturday for Smith’s WBA Super, Ring Magazine and vacant WBC World Super-Middleweight titles at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, live on DAZN.
“I have the utmost respect for Callum Smith. He is a great champion. I like taking challenges. Taking this fight is a challenge fighting the best 168,” Saul “Canelo” Alvarez said. “We are use to big challenges. I am ready to overcome this challenge.”
Having prepared at his headquarters in San Diego, California, Canelo stood active all year and later began his camp and prepared for Smith with his longtime trainer, 2019 Trainer of the Year Eddie Reynoso.
“It has been a difficult year, but I continued to stay active. I’m a fighter that lives in the gym. My preparation was great,” Canelo on his preparation for Smith.
This will be a high risk and low reward fight for Canelo, as he is facing a very well-rounded boxer. Literally, a big challenge as Smith stands at 6’3” and a 78” reach.
“We have had Callum Smith on our radar. He is the best 168 and we want to campaign at this weight. I plan on staying in this weight for a year,” Canelo stated. “Smith has the size advantage but that don’t mean anything,”
It won’t be the first time Canelo fights an opponent that is much taller than him as he knocked out both Rocky Fielding and Sergey Kovalev. In both fights Canelo was giving up well over 4 inches in height but prevailed.
“With my experience at this level, I know I can adapt to his style. We are ready,” Canelo said.
His opponent, undefeated in 27 fights. Smith won the vacant WBC Diamond title in winning a unanimous decision over Eric Skoglund in 2017 and won the WBA Super title scoring a knockout over George Groves. Smith has made two defenses of the title and is coming off a questionable decision over John Ryder last year in November.
“He is a tall fighter with a lot of boxing qualities. Which makes him a complete fighter. A dangerous and smart fighter,” Canelo said about Smith.
Interestingly Canelo has a knockout win over Callum’s older brother, super welterweight Liam Smith back in 2016. A crunching body shot as what did it as Canelo stopped him in nine rounds in front of a massive crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Last year, Canelo won a unanimous decision over former world champion Daniel Jacobs in May and scored a spectacular eleventh-round knockout over former world champion Sergey Kovalev in his last fight to win the WBO light heavyweight title. With the win, Canelo became a four-division world champion joining Mexican greats Jorge Arce, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Erik Morales.
“The was a great win for me and just another step in my career, in making history,” Canelo said.
Following the victory over Kovalev, four months later the COVID-19 pandemic hit as the boxing world was put to a stop. For, Canelo like many it was a tough time outside the ring. Boxing returned in the summer and it was time for Alvarez to get back in the ring as he anxiously awaited.
“Once the quarantine hit. I just trained. Good thing I have my gym. I have to stay in the gym I love what I do,” Canelo said.
Obstacles loomed for Canelo as the business differences between him and promoter Oscar De La Hoya/Golden Boy Promotions were evident. Stemming prior to his last fight against Kovalev. With no fight date and a tentative date for Canelo to fight Irish middleweight Jayson Quigley no fight materialized. With no Cinco de Mayo or Mexican Independence weekend fight. Canelo moved on as he recently parted ways with Golden Boy. Another fight that was recently talked discussed was a potential showdown with the IBF middleweight champ.
“There were other names being discussed but those fights didn’t plan out. 2020 has been a difficult year but the good thing is I am fighting,” Canelo said.
In the fall of 2018, Canelo signed a lucrative deal with DAZN worth $365 million for 11 fights. So far, Alvarez has fought a total of 3 fights and is going on his fourth with the Smith fight. Thus, remaining with the network.
Another major acquisition for DAZN was signing IBF/IBO middleweight champion Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin following his rematch with Canelo. Golovkin signed a 6-fight deal worth $ 350 million. So far, he has fought twice under DAZN and will complete half of his contract following his Friday night vs. mandatory number one-contender Kamil Szremeta.
All indications point towards a potential third mega fight between Canelo and Golovkin down the line.
Other potential options for Canelo, include WBC World super middleweight champion David Benavidez, IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant, WBC/IBF light heavyweight champion Arthur Beterbiev, WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Not to mention the middleweight division as Canelo is pretty much versatile with his weight.
“I want to close the year with a bang as a world champion. The goal is to win all the titles and unify at 168,” Canelo said. “I want to make history and fight the best. I like taking risk. It’s a motivational factor for me and I will continue to do it,”
However, the public is demanding the third fight between Canelo and Golovkin. Regardless of his victory over Golovkin, Alvarez still has some unfinished business to settle. That all depends what happens this Saturday night.
“I always go out and give it the best to go out to win. I have the experience to win by decision and if the knockout opportunity comes. I will take advantage of it. The fans love the knockout,” Canelo concluded.
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Callum Smith will win this fight. Canelo is fighting the #1 in the division, in his prime.
Interesting as Smith barely got by Ryder this past year, who has the same height and build as Canelo and he was able to get inside the majority of the fight. Also Smith really does not have any talented opponents on his record other than Groves. He is too European style of a boxer and stands up straight. Canelo by knockout with brutal display of a body attack.
Smith had an off night against Ryder, but most fighters have at least one of those in their career. The ‘contaminated meat’ eater won’t have enough for Call, no chance. Canelo usually fights boxers that are passed their best or cheats the weights.
You make it sound like Alvarez is unbeatable, but Amir Khan clearly outboxed him until the stoppage, Lara beat him and didn’t get the decision, as did GGG.
The judges and Canelo’s ‘cycling’ are my main concern. He should have had a lengthy ban for failing a PED test.
First and foremost, smith does not have the speed or boxing ability as a khan, nor does he have the power to keep Canelo away from him. He is an average fighter all around, but lacks a good defense and you will see it on display when Canelo breaks him down. Anyone is beatable but smith will not have the power or speed to keep Canelo off of him. Mark my words, I will be back here after fight night bragging that I was right.
Are we talking about the same Canelo Alverez? The one I’m talking about has only stopped two of his last six opponents. One of those was a badly faded Kovalev and the other was Rocky Fielding, a boxer that Callum Smith stopped in one round, not like the three it took Canelo.
Who has Canelo beaten at Super Middle, to prove himself? Rocky Fielding. Don’t make me laugh.
Yes the same Canelo that will knock out another smith by body shots! Remember where you heard it from. Also, watch Fielding’s interview as he also predicts a Canelo win despite losing to smith in the first round.
I told you so! It is round 6 and Canelo is breaking him down as I stated. Callum does not have the power or speed to keep Canelo at bay. Easy win for Canelo!!!
You clearly don’t watch boxing and were brought on here by the North American boxing establishment as a heckler. When you say that Callum Smith doesn’t have the power to keep canelo off of him you obviously are either ignorant, stupid or you don’t even watch the sport and know who Callum Smith is. It has to be one of those three things.
I have been watching boxing longer than you were probably born! I was also an amateur boxer at one point in my life. I can see you are immature enough to utilize the words stupid and ignorant to try to get your point across. I do not have to utilize degrading comments to get my opinions out there, but I will heckle you after the fight tonight to tell that I was right all along. Another Smith going down!
When you say that Callum Smith doesn’t have the power to keep Canelo off of him, you tell us three possible things about yourself. Either you know nothing about the sport and it’s combatants but are just here to antagonize and heckle, you have the IQ of a garden slug, or you just plain ignore reality. It has to be one of those three things.
I am going to start bragging early! It is round 5 and my points are coming to fruition, Callum does not have the power or speed to keep Canelo at bay. Easy win for Canelo!
Amir Khan outboxed all of his opponents until he got hit…so what’s your point Fletch? Another hater. Go away
I don’t hate anything. If you don’t like my post and want me to go away. Why reply to it?
I.e. You are saying both Smith brothers will then have been stopped with body shots by Canelo. Can see this happening. Smith has that build that looks like good body shots are going to fold him in half.
Canelo makes this statement as a way to justify his match up and what better way to promote it thru digital sales. Sorry, but this match up is rather predictable that Alvarez will chop him down and make a statement once again.
No he’s not.
I would have rather seen him fight Benevitez at 168, the only other fights I’d like to see him make is a 160 fight against Crawford one day, 175 against Beterbiev, 160 against Charlo, 175 against Bivol and maybe a dream fight against Andre Ward. If Berlanga is 40-0 with 40 ko1’s after those fighters, set that fight up haha
Smith the best fighter at 168?
If a fighter is only as good as his last fight, Smiths not even the best in England.
Maybe he wasn’t motivated in his fight with Ryder, or maybe Ryder exposed glaring weaknesses in Smith.
I’m rooting for Smith to prove me wrong, but I can only see 1 winner, Canelo, by wide decision, or mid – late round stoppage.
I wonder why he announced this fight just barely 3 weeks ago. Probably because Callum had no idea he was gonna fight Canelo…
Arturo….have you taken too many shots to the melon? You really think Smith just learned of the fight three weeks ago? There’s really no help for the human race. Give your noggin a shake.
This is what we get as boxing fans. Canelo has so many fights to be made, Charlo, Benavidez, Bivol. GGG is not the same fighter anymore, so Canelo will probably fight him next when GGG is 43 or 44.
Dazn business strategy is worst than I thought. I thought Canelo’s contract was bad but Why would GGG get $50 mil+ per fight? You can tell Dazn trusted these guys to make the big intriguing fights. They both failed at making the fights the fans want to see. Dazn gets what they deserve if they go bankrupt. They should have full control of both guys for that type of money.
I agree, DAZN wanted to have good intentions with the boxing world, but things turned out rather stagnant. I miss the old days of HBO and Showtime where things were more simplistic even if some of their fights were predictable. Showtime now has even fell off the side since they have limited fights.
Clean or dirty, good judges or bad, I give credit to Cinnamon for at least taking all kinds of fights, most high level. he doesn’t run from anybody & is a well rounded fighter. At his level he can demand to fight who he wants, so he won’t hide behind promoter excuses. Callum Smith is top 168 for now so the draw is seeing whether or not Canelo will keep stepping into divisions and snatching up Ring titles.
Another predictable fight were Canelo is involved ; why not Beterbiev or Bivol ?!! Don’t come with the lack of money involved because he would earn more by fighting them instead of Smith..
These writers are both ignorant and unknowledgeable of the sport. In addition their bias is cringeworthy. The fight with Callum Smith is low reward? You can’t make this stuff up as it is in print. Boxing is already a dead sport but now there’s just nothing but zombies that participate in the business end of it. It is beyond embarrassing.
Smith just needs to stay on the outside jabbing his way to victory.
My prediction. Is a majority won split decision or draw the only guarantee is that canelo will get bailed out when he really lost