LET’S GO BRO-TO-BRO

Callum ready to make history against Canelo to true great and not to gain revenge for big brother Liam’s brutal KO by the Mexican

AS brothers go, few are tighter than the four fighting Smiths.

Ever since they turned their front room into a boxing ring as kids and fought with a glove on one hand and a tea towel wrapped around the other, they have been a team.

When one fights, the other three are always ringside.

Callum Smith was there the night Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez brutally knocked out older brother Liam in Arlington, Texas, in 2016.

Yet Smith says there is more than just setting the family record straight when he faces Alvarez in the early hours of tomorrow, also in Texas.

Part of him will want to avenge Liam’s loss, but ultimately he wants to win for himself to prove he is one of the world’s best fighters.

“Do I want revenge?” he told Mirror Sport. “Yes and no. It would be nice to avenge that loss like I avenged the George Groves one for Paul.

“That was nice but even at that time that fight was about me and becoming a world champion.

“It was just an added bonus that I was able to win for Paul.

“This is the same. A win for me over Saul Alvarez would be huge, and avenging Liam would make it that little bit better.

“But even if he had never fought Liam, this fight would be just as big for me. It’s huge and it’s an opportunity for me to prove how good I am. I genuinely believe I am good enough to win.”

Smith, 30, found Alvarez’s destruction of the previously unbeaten Liam (right) hard to watch.

Alvarez put him down in the seventh and eighth rounds before sparking him out in the ninth to relieve the Liverpudlian of his WBO light-middleweight title.

Liam did have some successes early on and Smith believes he will be a different proposition because of his size and strength.

At 6ft 3in, the WBA Super and Ring magazine champion is nearly five inches taller than Alvarez and his reach is almost eight inches longer.

“I spoke to Liam after the fight, although at the time I never imagined I’d be fighting Alvarez,” he said. “Liam had a lot of success and if he had my attributes, like my size, my power, and my style, he would have done even better.

“I’m very different to Liam and so, style-wise, I do believe I can have enough success to win the fight.

“I’m a very big super-middleweight. I always focus on myself. As long as the best version of me turns up, I’m good to go.”

Alvarez, who likes the odds stacked in his favour, gave Smith only five weeks to prepare for their showdown.

The Mexican, who selected Smith because of his poor display against John Ryder 13 months ago, is fighting in Texas, where the judges will favour him.

Despite that handicap, Smith insists he can upset the odds and pull off what would be one of the great victories by a Brit abroad.

“I know how good he is but styles make fights and, with my style, I definitely believe I’m very hard to beat when I fight to the best of my ability,” said Smith.

“I’m finally on the big stage now and I want to enjoy it.

“But I’m not just here to be a part of it, I’m here to win and cement my legacy in boxing. Not just for me, but for British boxing.”