Callum Smith vs Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez- Preview
Callum Smith squares off against one of the best pound-for-pound best in Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Smith’s WBA and Ring Magazine Super Middleweight belts as well as the vacant WBC Super Middleweight belt will be on the line.
Despite Smith being the champion, he enters the bout as the underdog; something that Smith has not experienced in his 27 professional bouts.
The Liverpudlian has impressed so far in his professional career, boasting an undefeated record with 19 KOs in 27 fights. Smith was catapulted onto the world stage in the World Boxing Super Series in which he knocked out George Groves to win the Muhammad Ali Trophy, the Ring Magazine belt and WBA Super Middleweight crown.
Since then, Smith has knocked out Hassan Ndam in New York and won a scrappy decision victory against fellow Briton John Ryder. Smith and his team have been looking for big unification fights in the Super Middleweight division.
Canelo is all of the above. He is one the biggest stars in World boxing and also provides a chance for Smith to unify the division.
The 30-year-old Liverpudlian is confident in his ability and welcomes all the challenges that one of the most dangerous and lucrative fighters has to offer. "The world knows how good 'Canelo' Alvarez is but after Saturday night they'll know how good I am," he told BBC Radio 5 Live Boxing.
"There's only so much size your ability can make up for," said Smith who is seven inches taller than the Mexican star.
"There's no bigger fight for me. I'm not just a big lump with limited ability. I have skills to go with it. I have always watched him believing I can beat him. Now I have the chance to prove it. I like my chances in this.
"I'm not here to be involved, I'm here to win. His trainer Eddie Reynoso says Canelo still has goals to achieve. So have I." Smith added.
But the challenges that faces Smith is mighty. Canelo has only been beaten once in his 56 professional fights, with the loss coming at the hand of Floyd Mayweather seven years ago.
Canelo has since dominated the light middleweight division and the middleweight division including a win over Smith older brother Liam Smith, a win over ‘GGG’ Genady Golovkin and a win over Kovalev at Light Heavyweight in which he won the WBO belt.
Canelo will give up height and size to naturally bigger man and has admitted that taking this fight is a ‘risk’ but insists that he can come over these disadvantages. "We know he's tall and he has great boxing qualities," said the 30-year-old Mexican.
"But with my experience and the level of my boxing we are ready for this." He added.
"Taking this fight is a risk, fighting the number one at 168lbs. These are challenges for me. I continue to take challenges going forward as I like the risk of it. I like challenges to continue making history." Alvarez concluded.
If Smith is able to pull off the victory, then this will go down as one of the best victories by a British fighter away from home. Despite being the Champion, a victory for the Briton will be a major upset over the pound-for-pound great.
This bout is a tough task for Smith because over the course of his career Canelo has shown devastating power and immense boxing IQ. With the ability to press the fight and box on the back foot, Canelo poses numerous threats and makes it incredibly difficult for his opponent to control the fight.
The biggest x-factor in the fight will be Smith, can he pull off the upset?
