Canelo vs Callum Smith on Dec 19th

[Dia bando]

I was there that night Smith v Ryder in all honesty Ryder won that fight.
Smith was terrible Ryder fought his heart out on Callums performance that night you would favour Canelo .
I have followed Smith's career and that was the worst I have ever seen him fight! frankly hopefully Smith pulls it off.

[Master]

It’s always a difficult choice for a boxer to go to court to resolve a contract dispute because careers are so short, time is of the essence and court cases tend to drag out indefinitely.

At the height of his earning power, though, Canelo Alvarez willingly went to court because of what he saw as obstacles in his path to get back into the ring.

And on Saturday in San Antonio in a fight that will be streamed on DAZN and traditional pay-per-view, Alvarez will not only make his first appearance of 2020, but he’ll do so against an elite super middleweight in Callum Smith.

In September, already out of the ring for 11 months and with no fight in sight, Alvarez sued Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN. He was desperate to fight, and despite how notoriously long it takes to work out court cases, he believed that this was the only way to be able to get into the ring in 2020.

In November, though, a settlement was reached, followed quickly by the news that Alvarez would be challenging Smith for the WBA-WBC super middleweight belts.

“I went through a lot to be able to close the year like this, with this kind of a fight,” Alvarez told Yahoo Sports. “I did what I did [in filing suit] so I could become a free agent and see where the big fights were and go there.”

Alvarez is Yahoo Sports’ No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, and he’s well on his way to earning a berth in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. While he has proven that size isn’t the only consideration in a fight, there are limits to everything.

Alvarez is 5-feet, 8 inches tall with a 70 1/2-inch reach. Smith is 6-3 with a 78-inch reach. If it were a bout between a world-class fighter and a jabroni off the streets, the size wouldn’t make a difference. But Smith is a world-class fighter himself and has eight inches of height and seven-and-a-half inches of reach on Alvarez.

Alvarez, though, shrugged that off. Giving up some physical edge or another is part of the cost of doing business if you want to pit yourself against the best in the world.

“I know the risks, but I also have a strong desire to be the best,” he said. “He is considered the No. 1 middleweight in the world, so he was the No. 1 guy that I wanted. I believe in myself and I want to fight these kinds of fights.”

Late in their relationship, Alvarez made no secret of his disdain for Oscar De La Hoya, his former promoter and once a mentor for him. Their relationship was at the heart of the lawsuits Alvarez filed against Golden Boy and DAZN.

De La Hoya, who was one of the best fighters of his generation, is talking about a comeback at 47 and at one point even speculated about returning to fight Alvarez. Though there were times over the last 12 to 18 months where Alvarez must have dreamed of putting his hands on De La Hoya, he laughed off the notion that he’d ever fight his ex-promoter.

He icily said he wants to fight the best and intimated he’s not certain De La Hoya will ever fight.

“When Oscar gets in there and gets some hard sparring, [maybe] he’ll think differently [about coming back to boxing],” Alvarez said. “He’ll probably get it out of his system.”

Alvarez felt a desperate need to get back so he took a Hail Mary and went to court. It worked out perfectly for him and he now has the freedom to pick-and-choose who and when he fights and on what network.

He has maximum flexibility that should provide the greatest reward. If he wants to fight Caleb Plant, he won’t be encumbered by a television deal that would prevent or make it difficult.

Whoever makes the most sense, he’s gotten himself the most flexibility to get the fights.

“You have a limited time in this sport and you have to take advantage of it when you can,” Alvarez said. “I’m looking for all the best.”

For now, though, he’s focused on Smith. He’s already beaten one member of the Smith family, stopping Liam in a 2016 bout in Arlington, Texas.

Liam undoubtedly is sharing secrets with his big brother, but Alvarez is nonplussed.

“I have fought fighters with all different styles and so nothing I see will be a surprise,” Alvarez said. “Whatever style he has or whatever he tries to do, I will have seen it before. I am preparing hard and I’m ready for whatever challenge or threat I may see.”

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/onc...213428836.html

[Master]

Smith looks for family revenge against Alvarez

allum Smith had a front row seat to see his brother dismantled by Canelo Alvarez in a bruising light-middleweight title fight in 2016.

Ringside at a raucous AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Smith can recall in particular the accuracy of Alvarez's punches, the way he maneuvered his big brother, Liam, into a position to drop him on three occasions - the final time with a brutal body shot.

''He finds gaps and holes that you don't know you're leaving,'' Smith said of the Mexican boxer. ''So I knew then, and I know now, how good a fighter he is.''

Four years later, it's time to take some family revenge.

Smith will compete in the biggest fight of his career on Saturday when he attempts to do what only one man, the great Floyd Mayweather, has achieved - beat Alvarez, a four-division world champion who, for many, is the best pound-for-pound boxer around.

It would go down as one of the most sensational victories in British boxing history, catapulting Smith - an unbeaten 30-year-old fighter from Liverpool - into superstardom.

He would take great satisfaction, too, from taking down a conqueror of one of the siblings from a Smith family steeped in boxing. And it wouldn't be the first time: In 2018, he knocked out George Groves, who had previously beaten Smith's oldest brother, Paul, to capture the WBA super-middleweight title.

''I did it with Groves for Paul,'' Smith told The Associated Press in a video interview, ''hopefully I can do it with Canelo for Liam.

''It does add a little more to it. There's a little bit of history there and it will be nice to get revenge, but first and foremost I've got a job to do and that's beat Canelo Alvarez. Any other bits are an added bonus.''

Paul, Liam and another brother who is a professional boxer, Stephen, are all making the long journey with Callum to Texas for the fight at the Alamodome in San Antonio. They do everything together - all four have been British title-holders at one point, with Liam and Callum going on to become world champions - and can lean on each other for advice and tips.

And it's Liam, given his history with Canelo, who has been Callum's go-to guy in recent weeks.

''I've watched every single fight Canelo's ever had, but it's a bit different when you get in there with him,'' Callum Smith told the AP. ''Liam has been in there with him, so he knows little things. Things he probably realized on the night that he didn't see before.

''We spoke even before this fight was made and we've spoken a lot more since. He is in the gym with me every day so when I'm sparring, Liam's on the apron as well, watching. He's always there for advice, shots he feels Canelo may throw against me and shots he feels I may be able to capitalize on against Canelo.''

The fight, which is being televised by the DAZN streaming service, will be the first for both boxers in more than a year, since Alvarez knocked out Sergey Kovalev in November 2019 and since Smith earned a unanimous decision over John Ryder three weeks later.

The fight was announced by Canelo's team on Nov. 17, before any contracts had been officially signed and without Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) having had any confirmation. It has given Smith little more than a month to prepare, with restrictions stemming from the coronavirus pandemic making the pre-fight camp even harder.

Smith, who is seven inches taller than Alvarez and will have a clear reach advantage, had to rush to get some sparring partners in, and the ones he got weren't ideal. He said he hasn't had much time to ''think and research'' for a fight against someone he believes rivals Terence Crawford, the WBO welterweight champion, as the pound-for-pound king.

''You ask me has my camp been ideal, but his probably hasn't been ideal, either,'' Smith said. ''He probably knew he was fighting me a little longer than I knew I was fighting him but he's had the same year as everyone else.''

Fighting out of England, and in front of a reduced crowd in Texas, holds no fear for Smith, either. After all, it was in Saudi Arabia where he beat Groves to become a world champion.

''Whether it's in front of 100,000 fans or 10,000 or 10, my goal is to go out there and win,'' Smith said. ''It would be nice to do it in front of a full capacity and a load of traveling fans, but that's the times we are in. You have to just take what you're given.''

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/ap-inter...1880--box.html

[TitoFan]

All I can say is Callum had better not do a Bambi-like "Kovalev" and fold like a lawn chair at the first sign of a body attack by Clenelo.

[Master]

Callum Smith has told talkSPORT.com he’s pleased he will be free to weigh whatever he wants when he steps into the ring with Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night in Texas.

Canelo has previously been reported to have rehydration clauses in his fight contracts, meaning opponents must fulfil a second weigh-in on fight day.

For example, when Canelo boxed Daniel Jacobs back in May 2019, the weigh-in took place at the middleweight limit of 160lbs.

However, the following day both men also had to weigh under 170lbs.

Jacobs ended up coming in at 173lbs on fight day and paid a reported $1million penalty as a result.

Regarding the fact his fight with the Mexican will not take place under such circumstance, Smith told talkSPORT.com: “Obviously I’m pleased.

“You make weight, you’re allowed to rehydrate to whatever you want to.

“Listen, I don’t go as heavy as people believe to be honest with you.

“You look at the size of me, probably think I get in the ring about 14 stone (196lbs), I don’t!

“But it’s nice to just not have to watch it.”

In his last fight, Canelo jumped up to light-heavyweight (175lbs) and knocked out Sergey Kovalev to claim the WBO world title.

Smith believes that this may have influenced his decision not to request a rehydration clause for their fight, which is taking place back down at super-middleweight (168lbs).

“I think, you know, it’s just to try and get a slight advantage,” Smith continued.

“But he’s boxed heavier than me, he’s boxed at 175lbs and won a world title at 175lbs.

“So I don’t feel a reason why he’d have to restrict me putting too much weight on when he technically he’s boxed at the higher weight than me.

“Yeah, obviously it was nice not to get it put on the line, but regardless the fight’s still a fight on the night.

“I’ve still gotta get in at my optimum weight, what I feel best at anyway and just perform to the best I can.

“And I believe ‘the best I can’ beats him.”

If his prediction comes true, one contractual clause that Smith will have to deal with is the rematch clause.

The champion would owe his defeated foe another fight, but has made it clear where he’d want it to take place.

The avid Liverpool supporter said of his dream rematch at Anfield: “Yeah, that’d be huge, that’d be massive.

“Anfield is obviously something that’s another dream I’d love to do. Vegas is another one, so I think either of them would be great.

“But I think Anfield more so, I don’t think it’s been done, not in my generation anyway.

“It would be that little bit more special. Fighting anyone at Anfield is definitely a goal and definitely something that does motivate me.”

https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/8...clause-canelo/

[Spicoli]

Probably one of the emptiest undercards to a mega fight I can remember, weird . This is straight DAZN no ppv etc? Literally all 6 round fighters and a 17-15 opponent in co main. Guess this means main event will start at Midnight

[TitoFan]

Mmmm... scrumptious. Makes me want to rush and subscribe to DAZN even more.

Although if I had a crystal ball and knew that Callum was going to starch Clenelo... I'd make the sacrifice for sure.

[Master]

Callum Smith prepares for fight of his life against Saul 'Canelo' Álvarez

Saul “Canelo” Álvarez is more than a fighter, he’s an industry. And, for all the restrictions of the pandemic and boxing politics, business is still good – as Callum Smith has recently discovered.

Late on Saturday in San Antonio, Texas (early Sunday morning GMT), they will argue over the unbeaten Liverpudlian’s WBA “super” super-middleweight title as the incomparable Mexican reaches for a world championship to go with his several belts at light-middle, middleweight and light-heavyweight gathered over nearly a decade in a 56-fight career that began as a teenager 15 years ago.

For all the credentials of other excellent contemporaries such as Terence Crawford, Nayoya Inoue, Errol Spence Jr and Oleksandr Usyk, the red-headed 30-year-old phenomenon from Guadalajara bears favourable comparison with Julio César Chávez, who terrorised the best in his business over three weights in the last two decades of the 20th century.

Smith, also 30, brings his own spotless CV to Texas at short notice, and, although he is acknowledged as pre-eminent at 12 stone, he is talking like a fighter privileged to be sharing a little piece of hell with a boxing nightmare. Neither has fought for over a year; they are about to make up for lost time and revenue.

In this millennium, only Floyd Mayweather Jr (to whom he lost in 2013) has had greater commercial clout than Álvarez, who chose Smith – not the other way around – giving the champion a mere month to prepare and travel to his turf. A purse of $40m when the fight was first mooted before lockdowns gripped the world has probably shrunk to a quarter of that, with Álvarez likely to pocket the bigger slice.

In the Alamodome, a stadium just over a mile from the battle where Davy Crockett simultaneously perished at the hands of Mexico’s General Santa Anna and was confirmed as an American wild west hero, Smith knows he is in for the fight of his life. He has to put aside the brief preparation he has been allowed, and said: “There’s plenty of different ways to get in shape. It hasn’t been ideal, but you make do with what you’ve got, and I’m in very good shape.”

There won’t be more than a scattering of citizens inside a biosecure stadium that holds up to 64,000 fans, but the tension and sense of occasion will be considerable, nonetheless.

In normal circumstances, Smith would be preparing for Christmas back in Liverpool inside an altogether more welcoming bubble of his three boxing brothers and their close family. He might have contemplated a mid-winter round of golf at Wallasey, where he has performed enthusiastically. Álvarez is a keen golfer, too, but their skills are now trained on a more dangerous pursuit.

When they faced off for the first time at the venue this week, Smith towered over Álvarez by fully half a foot at 6ft 3in, and he invests his rangy frame with power that has proved too much for 19 of his 27 opponents, including George Groves to secure his title two years ago.

None of his experiences will match this one, though. It was not of his making, but he is happy with that. As Álvarez said: “We chose Callum Smith because he’s ranked No 1 in the 168lb division. And, in the end, that’s what I want. I have a strong mindset. I know how to handle all of this.” He certainly does.

In 2018, DAZN signed Álvarez to a 12-fight contract worth $365m – nearly $180m more than it cost to build the venue in which they are fighting. This year, though, it turned ugly. DAZN, Eddie Hearn’s streaming partner, wanted their star to take a pay cut because of the coronavirus, he argued with his long-time promoters at Golden Boy and they went their separate ways. However, after some hard talking, DAZN got back in the Álvarez business, alongside Matchroom, Hearn and Smith.

As far as any respected historian can determine, Álvarez is the first boxer to fight brothers in world title fights at different weights, having cut up and stopped Callum’s brother, Liam, in nine rounds at light-middle in 2016. The Mexican earlier repulsed worthy British challenges by Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes and Amir Khan.

There can be no doubting Smith’s determination or ability to stop the rot, although he is a 4-1 underdog. For maybe half an hour in San Antonio, he gets his own Battle of the Alamo, and a rear guard Liverpool victory would be the biggest upset of recent times; if Smith finishes upright, he will have given Álvarez a serious fright, and that alone would be a memorable achievement.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/cal...150831666.html

[imp]

What is the Uk start time?

4am?

Watching it on the DAZN app.

[Master]

What is the Uk start time?

4am?

Watching it on the DAZN app.

That is the time BBC radio 5 live will start their commentary so around then.

[palmerq]

Smith is 4/1 to win, that's pretty good odds l, Smith has done well in the past and he's a lot taller. Its possible alvarezs team have seen smith's performance v a guy who is a similar height to alvarez (ryder) and how he had a bit of a struggle there, the thing is alvarez isn't that great at hunting people down and is not so good at cutting the ring off either, could be a miscalculation by them... I'm betting ten Canadian quids on Smith at 4/1.

[TitoFan]

Smith is 4/1 to win, that's pretty good odds l, Smith has done well in the past and he's a lot taller. Its possible alvarezs team have seen smith's performance v a guy who is a similar height to alvarez (ryder) and how he had a bit of a struggle there, the thing is alvarez isn't that great at hunting people down and is not so good at cutting the ring off either, could be a miscalculation by them... I'm betting ten Canadian quids on Smith at 4/1.

I give Canelo and team a lot of flak for a lot of things..... but THIS..... isn't one of them.

Canelo & Team NEVER miscalculate.

If they agreed to face Callum, without rehydration clauses even....... the computer must've spit out a major flaw somewhere.

Risk-taking is not in their DNA.

[palmerq]

Smith is 4/1 to win, that's pretty good odds l, Smith has done well in the past and he's a lot taller. Its possible alvarezs team have seen smith's performance v a guy who is a similar height to alvarez (ryder) and how he had a bit of a struggle there, the thing is alvarez isn't that great at hunting people down and is not so good at cutting the ring off either, could be a miscalculation by them... I'm betting ten Canadian quids on Smith at 4/1.

I give Canelo and team a lot of flak for a lot of things..... but THIS..... isn't one of them.

Canelo & Team NEVER miscalculate.

If they agreed to face Callum, without rehydration clauses even....... the computer must've spit out a major flaw somewhere.

Risk-taking is not in their DNA.

Maybe but I'm not sure, alvarez really isn't a great come forward pressure fighter unless he learned a lot recently and if he did then we have to tip our hat to him :S... He doesn't seem like a guy who does well chasing down a good tall guy, this fight really could go badly for him...

But I also do I agree that his managers really do calculate well, I just think they might be putting too much stock in the ryder fight, add in the promoter and broadcasters disputes, I think this is going to be interesting.

[TitoFan]

Smith is 4/1 to win, that's pretty good odds l, Smith has done well in the past and he's a lot taller. Its possible alvarezs team have seen smith's performance v a guy who is a similar height to alvarez (ryder) and how he had a bit of a struggle there, the thing is alvarez isn't that great at hunting people down and is not so good at cutting the ring off either, could be a miscalculation by them... I'm betting ten Canadian quids on Smith at 4/1.

I give Canelo and team a lot of flak for a lot of things..... but THIS..... isn't one of them.

Canelo & Team NEVER miscalculate.

If they agreed to face Callum, without rehydration clauses even....... the computer must've spit out a major flaw somewhere.

Risk-taking is not in their DNA.

Maybe but I'm not sure, alvarez really isn't a great come forward pressure fighter unless he learned a lot recently and if he did then we have to tip our hat to him :S... He doesn't seem like a guy who does well chasing down a good tall guy, this fight really could go badly for him...

But I also do I agree that his managers really do calculate well, I just think they might be putting too much stock in the ryder fight, add in the promoter and broadcasters disputes, I think this is going to be interesting.

Good points and I sincerely hope you're proven right. I wouldn't mind a KTFO victory for Callum.

[powerpuncher]

If Canelo wins, I would say this would be his best win. Smith is a solid fighter and as far as I know, there are no crazy stipulations for this fight.