Canelo Álvarez beats down Callum Smith to win super middleweight titles
Saul “Canelo” Álvarez unanimously outpointed previously undefeated Callum Smith to win the WBA and Ring super-middleweight championships and vacant WBC supermiddleweight title Saturday night at the Alamodome.
Álvarez (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 5ft 8in, Álvarez was the aggressor against the 6ft 3in Smith. Álvarez previously knocked out Callum’s older brother, Liam, on 17 September 2016, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Many speculated Callum wanted revenge for the ninth-round knockout, but Álvarez dominated the younger Smith as well.
Speaking after the fight, Álvarez told DAZN: “My respects for Callum Smith, but as everyone labels me I’m the best in the world and it’s for something. This is one of the best nights for me, I have conquered the unified titles. One of the greatest nights I’ve had and I will go for more.”
In a message for Gennady Golovkin, who he beat in 2018, he said: “My shortterm goal is to unify all titles at 168 pounds. Whoever’s there, let’s go get them.”
Smith said: “I’m devastated. Listen, I never wanted to lose, I came here to win. It wasn’t my night. I don’t feel as dominant at 168 as I used to be. It could have been a better version of me tonight ... he performed and was the better man.”
Álvarez 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 Álvarez. Punches were sparse and the exchanges were brief in the opening round as both fighters shadowed each other.
Álvarez pressed the action in the opening seconds of the second round, forcing Smith to respond with rights to the head to keep Álvarez 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.
Álvarez landed a series of straight rights and right hooks to the head early