San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)

No. 1 Gonzaga downs No. 3 Iowa 99-88.

- BY RAUL DOMINGUEZ Dominguez writes for The Associated Press.

Canelo Alvarez unanimousl­y outpointed previously undefeated Callum Smith to win the WBA & Ring super-middleweig­ht championsh­ips and vacant WBC super-middleweig­ht title Saturday night at the Alamodome.

Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOS) dominated his only bout this year, repeatedly hitting Smith (27-1, 19 KOS) with straight rights and right hooks to the head over 12 rounds.

Two judges scored the bout 119-109 and the third had it 117-111.

At 5-foot-8, Alvarez was the aggressor against the 6-foot-3 Smith.

Alvarez previously knocked out Callum’s older brother, Liam, on Sept. 17, 2106, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Many speculated Callum wanted revenge for the ninth-round knockout, but Alvarez dominated the younger Smith as well.

Alvarez and Smith were fighting for the first time this year due to the restrictio­ns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ring rust was evident in the first five rounds. It took nearly a minute before the first punch of the bout was thrown, a lunging right by Alvarez. Punches were sparse and the exchanges were brief in the opening round as both fighters shadowed each other.

Alvarez pressed the action in the opening seconds of the second round, forcing Smith to respond with rights to the head to keep Alvarez from continuall­y stepping forward.

Smith jabbed with his left hand more in the third round, occasional­ly attempting a right uppercut that continuall­y failed to land.

Alvarez landed a series of straight rights and right hooks to the head early in the fourth round that seemed to faze Smith. Alvarez had his most effective combinatio­n, landing a left hook to the side of the head, a straight right to the nose and another left hook that delighted the heavily partisan crowd.

Alvarez continued to effectivel­y lunge and dig a right hand to the face between Smith’s gloves in the fifth round. Smith followed up a lunging blow to the stomach to set up a right hook that seemed to shake Alvarez. Smith landed a second right hook following that exchange.

After a rather uneventful sixth round, Alvarez landed a hard right uppercut that snapped Smith’s head back. Alvarez attempted to follow with another uppercut, but Smith sidesteppe­d the attempt and missed an uppercut of his own.

Alvarez landed 60 percent of his power punches through seven rounds compared to just 20 percent by Smith. He stuffed another hard right uppercut into Smith with about a minute left in the eighth round.

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