Callum Smith believes that if he is at the top of his game, he can beat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night.
Reverting to his previous blow against John Ryder in November 2019 is Callum Smith upset, and rightly so.
Smith knows that he made mistakes in that fight, and that is one of the reasons why some question whether he is so well-publicized. But entering the fight of his life Saturday at the Alamodome against the biggest star in boxing and perhaps the best in the sport, Canelo Alvarez (live on DAZN worldwide, excluding Mexico), Smith thinks we will see a different version – a version that is the main hero at 168 pounds.
“Mundo” feels in his heart that, if he is at his best, there is no way Alvarez will beat him.
“It’s a warm performance (against Ryder), and people are just building holes in it,” Smith said on DAZN’s podcast Boxing With Chris Mannix. “All the good fights you’ve had before on subcards are forgotten as if that ‘s your real version. (They are) just flukes.
“I know what I can do and what I can do. I know the version for me that turned up in my last fight that I will lose (against Alvarez), there are no two ways about it But my favorite version is “turn”, I believe I won. “
Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs), WBA (super) middleweight champion and WBC nickname “Franchise”, has not fought at 168 pounds once, a false third-round win over Rocky Fielding in December 2018 at Madison Square Garden to earn a high school belt. Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) understands what Alvarez brings to the table. The Englishman maintains a seven-inch height advantage, and on a fight night will weigh more than Alvarez. Smith feels there are weight classes for a reason, and Alvarez’s best performances have come at 160 pounds.
“He’s a special hero,” said Smith. “He’s in the position he was in because of what he’s done before. I just think style, I think I’m hard to beat. I think Canelo Alvarez best at 160. I’m at 168. I think there are a lot of great people at 168. I’m big, but I believe I got the skills to go with that as well. I just think fast, and in style I’m in this fight to win. “