Second Smith Brother Easier Than the First: Canelo Has His Way With Callum, Snags UD12

If you expected and hoped for at least some close rounds between Canelo Alvarez and Brit Callum Smith at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday night, you were disappointed.

This was easy work, or so he made it look, for Alvarez. He had his way with 168 pound champ Smith from second one, and it wasn't easy to find a round for the Brit.

Callum was on his back foot just about the whole way through and it looked like from round three on, he was there to not get stopped. Not even boxing judges could mess this one up–after 12, they saw it 119-109, 119-109, 117-111. The 111 was severely generous.

The clash ran on DAZN.

The numbers didn't tell the full tale, which was Canelo domination: Canelo went 209-484 to 97-536 for the loser.

After the win, Canelo spoke to Chris Mannix. Yes, he said, it was good to be fighting again, after 13 months away. He said yes, he does feel like the best in the world, but he did give Smith credit for being a tough fighter. “I feel great at 168, I don't want to fight with the scale after 13 months off,” he said.

He'd like more straps, at 168. “Unify, I want all the belts,” he stated.

What about GGG, at 160? “I don't run from nobody,” he said, but “I just showed the world I face the best.” So, he didn't shut the door on a third Triple G bout.

He wouldn't say this was his best outing, the four division champ said he has plenty more time to do that.

Smith after said it wasn't his night, no excuses. Maybe he is too big for 168, he allowed. Canelo's jab was hard to deal with, but he noted mostly how clever Canelo is. So smart in the ring, that impressed him most.

Liam got stopped, in 2016, but Callum didn't do any better; Canelo owns the Smiths. No shame in that, Canelo is an A grade guy, his ring generalship is A plus grade.

The Liverpudlian Smith brought a 29-0 record to the ring while the Mexican Canelo, who wore a face shield anti COVID mask to the ring, was 53-1-2.

In the first, Canelo edged forward, threw more, and was in command of the real estate after a slow first third. 

In the second, Canelo won with his aggression. It was Canelo style aggression, of course, he was patient, and never got reckless. A neat right to the body banged Smith, and the Brit wasn’t able to show what his game plan would be. This wouldn’t be a way to win.

In the third, it was tight, because Callum was busier. He threw combos, and flicked a jab, and was first more often. Canelo might have taken the round, with some showier shots landed, though. Canelo was less busy this round, because the Brit was busier, maybe. 

In the fourth, Smith got chewed up, not horribly, but Canelo was ripping shots. He was controlling tone and pace and still no apparent game plan to win for the man from Liverpool. Canelo was so patient and strong.

In the fifth, Canelo’s jab was so on message. His D was, too. He’d move forward, and slip a punch, and keep edging forward. Smith just didn’t look relaxed, like he was having fun, at all. He was tight, and not ripping shots, not looking to push Canelo back, put some fear into his heart.

To the sixth—more easy work for Canelo. Canelo slipped everything, and the Brit’s hands seemed slow. But since Callum stepped up the volume, maybe he impressed a judge? He wasn’t punching through, though, his jab wasn’t a spear, launched to slide through the target. 

In round seven, Canelo tossed harder, because Smith moved less. The Mexican can and did plant deeper to get more oomph on the rips. In the eighth, Smith backed up, pawed with some shots, and was wary of what was to be coming at him. His long arms did help in protecting his torso, at least. A right uppercut from the red head impressed the crowd.  

More of the same for round nine. Blood came from Smith’s nose. He got buckled, but was as always on the back foot. Canelo was pure predator, not sadistic, but patient and not inclined to let the man breath. Trainer Joe Gallagher told him he’d give Smith one more round.

In the tenth, what didn’t work? Hooks did, four punch combos, rights to the solar plexus, all of it, for the Mexican. The body work here was nasty. 

In the 11th, same shit, different round. Canelo looked as fresh as he was in round one. His jab hadn’t slowed down at all. It was so on point all night. Same for the 12th, when Smith relaxed some, knowing he'd make the distance.