Canelo Alvarez underlined his status as boxing’s pound-for-pound best as he dominated England’s Callum Smith to win a clear-cut unanimous decision, afterwards calling for a trilogy fight with fellow P4P great Gennady Golovkin.
Despite an almost comical seven-inch size advantage, the previously undefeated Smith was unable to mount any significant offence throughout 12 rounds in which the Mexican multiple weight champion dominated with pressure fighting, defensive excellence and clever, calculated punches.
Smith, who was attempting to avenge the defeat his brother Liam suffered to Alvarez four years ago, had no answer for Canelo’s constant forward movement and his coaches came close to pulling him from the fight after a poor ninth, telling their fighter that he had “one more round“.
Some performance by Canelo, he’s a special fighter and proves it time and time again. Who can beat him now? Callum very braved with some chin but just out classed tonight, no shame losing to P4P no.1! I scored it 10-2 #CaneloSmith
Unreal performance from Canelo, his defensive is unreal an that’s why Callum couldn’t get his shots off, big respect to Callum for grinding it out, he got some heart and balls to go with it ??
Mad to say but Canelo is getting better
In the end, Smith saw that final bell but was routed on the scorecards (119-109, 119-109, 117-111). Alvarez, meanwhile, earned his 54th career win and said afterwards that he knew that he could handle Smith’s power “from the first round“.
“This is one of the best nights I have had,” the Mexican said afterwards, suggesting that a third showdown with Kazakh star Gennady Golovkin could be next.
“I don’t run from nobody. I just showed that I fought against the best,” he said. “Of course, if [Golovkin] is going to take that fight, I’ll take it. But I showed the world that I fight against the best.”
Canelo has also noted his interest in facing Britain’s WBO champ Billy Joe Saunders in what would be a title unification fight. The two were originally scheduled to fight each other in May before it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Well done,” Saunders wrote on Twitter to Canelo. “Now 2021 unification. Let’s get it on.”
I know his fans won’t like this but at this stage of their careers GGG no longer competitive with Canelo. Not now. #CaneloSmith#Canelo
@Canelo well done nw 2021 unification ? let’s get it on @MTKGlobal@EddieHearn
List of boxers I’d like to see #Canelo fight in order of preference:1. Beterbiev2. Charlo3. Andrade4. Bivol5. Benavidez
The defeated Smith, meanwhile, said that he was devastated by the one-sided defeat.
“I came here to win,” Smith told the partisan crowd in Texas. “No excuses, he was very good.
“It could have been a better version of me tonight. He is smart and he is clever. He closes ground, sets traps and before you know it he’s closed the ground up. I maybe let him close the ground up too easily.”
The result also sets up the potential for a third fight between Alvarez and Golovkin after their two prior fights ended in a draw and win for the Mexican. ‘GGG’ was successful in his latest fight on Friday, needing just seven rounds to stop the previously unbeaten Pole Kamil Szeremeta.
