If Smith beats Canelo...

[bripez]

I don't think Smith will do any better than Khan to be honest, Khan is a better boxer than Smith and got KTFO as soon as Canelo landed properly, same will happen with Smith mid rounds. Smith just isn't at this level and it will son become apparent as soon as Canelo connects on his chin.

Smith doesn't seem anywhere near as chinny as Khan or Kirkland? Who else has Canelo ko'd early?

It's not as if Smith has faced a sting of world class boxers are devastating punchers - I can only see this fight going one way

[Boxerbeetle]

I don't think Smith will do any better than Khan to be honest, Khan is a better boxer than Smith and got KTFO as soon as Canelo landed properly, same will happen with Smith mid rounds. Smith just isn't at this level and it will son become apparent as soon as Canelo connects on his chin.

Smith doesn't seem anywhere near as chinny as Khan or Kirkland? Who else has Canelo ko'd early?

It's not as if Smith has faced a sting of world class boxers are devastating punchers - I can only see this fight going one way

Khan and Kirkland weren't stopped by devastating punchers either. I'm not saying Smith will win, he just isn't ridiculously chinny like those two are.

[Rexob]

Smith doesn't seem anywhere near as chinny as Khan or Kirkland? Who else has Canelo ko'd early?

It's not as if Smith has faced a sting of world class boxers are devastating punchers - I can only see this fight going one way

Khan and Kirkland weren't stopped by devastating punchers either. I'm not saying Smith will win, he just isn't ridiculously chinny like those two are.

How do we know this Smith hasn't fought anybody worth shi,t, Canelo will connect and Smith will be in deep water, Smith will not have the talent or chin to do anything about it.

[Boxerbeetle]

It's not as if Smith has faced a sting of world class boxers are devastating punchers - I can only see this fight going one way

Khan and Kirkland weren't stopped by devastating punchers either. I'm not saying Smith will win, he just isn't ridiculously chinny like those two are.

How do we know this Smith hasn't fought anybody worth shi,t, Canelo will connect and Smith will be in deep water, Smith will not have the talent or chin to do anything about it.

Well Khan was basically stopped by Limond, and Kirkland was actually stopped by Ishida. As far as I'm aware, Smith hasn't been troubled by anyone notoriously light-hitting?

[TheLeprechaun]

I don't think Smith will do any better than Khan to be honest, Khan is a better boxer than Smith and got KTFO as soon as Canelo landed properly, same will happen with Smith mid rounds. Smith just isn't at this level and it will son become apparent as soon as Canelo connects on his chin.

Smith doesn't seem anywhere near as chinny as Khan or Kirkland? Who else has Canelo ko'd early?

The way he flattened Baldomir with a left hook was frightening. If he lands cleanly, the fight is usually over.

Thing is, more and more he started to fancy himself as a boxer. Fighting on the outside, shoulder rolling on the ropes and fighting on the backfoot/taking rounds off. Probably due to stamina concerns over his weight cutting.

[crusader]

He landed cleanly on Cotto and didn't even have him down, he hit Angulo with flush shots all night but didn't budge him, he landed good body shots on Lara and didn't have him down or wincing, he put Trout down but was never close to stopping him, Rhodes went into the 12th, Matt Hatton went the distance and so on.

Most of Canelo's emphatic stoppages are over notoriously chinny opponents and welterweights.

[coneye]

you know the closer you look at Canelo ,the more you see and think he's had a good run , hes good but not has good has most make out . he can be outboxed has Mayweather proved , and even Khan to an extent , his chin has'nt really been tested but they make sure of that with the Canelo weight fights ,, I wonder how Brook would go with him

[Tomasino]

you know the closer you look at Canelo ,the more you see and think he's had a good run , hes good but not has good has most make out . he can be outboxed has Mayweather proved , and even Khan to an extent , his chin has'nt really been tested but they make sure of that with the Canelo weight fights ,, I wonder how Brook would go with him

I've always said that about Canelo. I remember when he beat Rhodes there were folk on here saying he was already a Mexican great, a legend his KO of Baldomir was impressive although Carlos was at the end of his hard career.

[lefty]

I still think that Andrade is thr best at 154. I know he hasn't proved that yet though.

[Boxerbeetle]

you know the closer you look at Canelo ,the more you see and think he's had a good run , hes good but not has good has most make out . he can be outboxed has Mayweather proved , and even Khan to an extent , his chin has'nt really been tested but they make sure of that with the Canelo weight fights ,, I wonder how Brook would go with him

I've always said that about Canelo. I remember when he beat Rhodes there were folk on here saying he was already a Mexican great, a legend his KO of Baldomir was impressive although Carlos was at the end of his hard career.

Yep Baldomir was nearly 40 when Canelo knocked him out, and was the much smaller man.

[Oiky]

It would be a great feather in his cap

[Sklar]

Im answer to the opening question, I think it would be the best away win by a British boxer ever.

[dr_devious]

Nah Freddie Welsh beating Benny Leonard in America counts as a much better win

[Autobarn]

I believe Alvarez is upright and very open to big punches.

Was hugely disappointed in Miguel Cotto's timid performance vs Alvarez.

Cotto, another one with stamina issues.

Hope Smith really can go for it.

[magwitch]

Better than both ,Hatton on reflection was fighting a semi retired champ , who was cashing out .

Fury - Klitchko , well say no more its still fresh in the mind ,

Makes Smith and Canelo a humongous feat if smith can do it , Canelo still considered at his peak , home town advantage , but if Brook can do it that will be just has good

Is there an inherent weakness with British boxers or something?
Every week I seem to see the exact same question lately.
Liam Smith? Top class British boxer reputed to have the lot, including a punch - from Britain, which has had probably a hundred world champions - against a Mexican they people call a flat-footed, protected fighter - why shouldn’t Smith win? (Oh, cos he’s a British fighter, got it.... )

[jamesmcdonnell]

I believe Alvarez is upright and very open to big punches.

Was hugely disappointed in Miguel Cotto's timid performance vs Alvarez.

Cotto, another one with stamina issues.

Hope Smith really can go for it.

Cotto is as strong as a bull, and has a head like a cinder block; Cotto had no faith in his own punches, whilst feeling the effect of everything Canelo landed.

[TheLeprechaun]

Smith is going to look extremely limited en route to getting banged out by Canelo

[jamesmcdonnell]

I think people underrate Canelo, just because he's not some super slick boxer, they think he has no skills. He's a very accurate puncher, throws well in combination, and is difficult to evade for long stretches of a fight as he closes the gap quickly, and throws shots on the way in.

[Autobarn]

I believe Alvarez is upright and very open to big punches.

Was hugely disappointed in Miguel Cotto's timid performance vs Alvarez.

Cotto, another one with stamina issues.

Hope Smith really can go for it.

Cotto is as strong as a bull, and has a head like a cinder block; Cotto had no faith in his own punches, whilst feeling the effect of everything Canelo landed.

I always found him disappointing, predictable and with a compulsory fade after about 7 rounds. That should have been fight of the year, if Cotto had put in a committed performance. IMO he's never had the stamina to back it up. Definitely, Alvarez was the stronger man.

[Autobarn]

I think people underrate Canelo, just because he's not some super slick boxer, they think he has no skills. He's a very accurate puncher, throws well in combination, and is difficult to evade for long stretches of a fight as he closes the gap quickly, and throws shots on the way in.

if you stand straight in front of him he has the best repertoire in boxing. If.

[TheLeprechaun]

I think people underrate Canelo, just because he's not some super slick boxer, they think he has no skills. He's a very accurate puncher, throws well in combination, and is difficult to evade for long stretches of a fight as he closes the gap quickly, and throws shots on the way in.

if you stand straight in front of him he has the best repertoire in boxing. If.

Smith is going to be standing in front of Canelo all night

[Andrew]

I think people underrate Canelo, just because he's not some super slick boxer, they think he has no skills. He's a very accurate puncher, throws well in combination, and is difficult to evade for long stretches of a fight as he closes the gap quickly, and throws shots on the way in.

if you stand straight in front of him he has the best repertoire in boxing. If.

Smith is going to be standing in front of Canelo all night

Exactly.

I re Watched the Angulo fight recently because of this. Whilst Smith should be better offensively ( Angulo was still a bit shot and very slow). The way Canelo picked his shots against a fighter coming forward in straight lines was nothing short of awesome. They were powerful shots which he will land on Smith.

Smith is going to take a lot of punishment in this fight all comes down to how tough he is.

[Counter-puncher]

I believe Alvarez is upright and very open to big punches.

Was hugely disappointed in Miguel Cotto's timid performance vs Alvarez.

Cotto, another one with stamina issues.

Hope Smith really can go for it.

Cotto is as strong as a bull, and has a head like a cinder block; Cotto had no faith in his own punches, whilst feeling the effect of everything Canelo landed.

I always found him disappointing, predictable and with a compulsory fade after about 7 rounds. That should have been fight of the year, if Cotto had put in a committed performance. IMO he's never had the stamina to back it up. Definitely, Alvarez was the stronger man.

I think you're being extremely unfair on Cottos supposed lack of commitment

He was fighting as the much older and more worn man, as someone without a castiron chin, against a bloke who probably walks around 7lbs+ heavier. Timid? If he was that timid he wouldn't have won the 4-5 rounds he won against Alvarez

Duking it out mano a mano would have been a dumb game plan for him, his chance was to outbox Canelo.

I happen to believe that a cotto 3 years or so fresher would have taken Canelo, despite his disadvantages in size/chin/age.

[stujones]

I can think of similar scenarios to it, but in these scenarios the brit lost though....

Dennis Andries vs Thomas Hearns.

Maurice Hope vs Wilfred Benitez.

[Autobarn]

Smith will have to be careful. He's likely got to get off first, then find a way to not be there for the replies. Is he good at going in and out of range?

Obviously if he fights aggressively, there's more chance of him getting blasted by Alvarez's shots - which the Mexicsn puts a lot of body weight into.

Alvarez is very strong s d sharp at punching a static target but the workrate is poor. I think Liam has to seriously outwork him, without getting in too much trouble, and then good things can happen. Canelo's workrate is pathetic In the 154 limit. Admittedly, it is a tightrope that has to be walked, Liam is an unknown quantity and I hope he can at the very least make an enjoyable fight out of it.


Counter Puncher - when Cotto faded in the Mosley fight, I knew what he was all about. He nearly lost that one, which was supposedly the big coming out fight. I knew not to expect too much after that. Of recent, he's won decisively due to injured / crippled opposition or handicapping - or a combination of the two then plodded through the bigger tests... He was good to watch in his prime at 140 - the majority of his good work, vs some future title holders, is attains eight - but back then he was shifting too much weight, powerful and intimidating early and sluggish and struggling after about six rounds. He's done well out of boxing, he's shown bravery especially in the great fight with Ricardo Torres. He excessively uses handicapping but unlike a master handicapper like Sugar Ray Leonard, you don't get that bit of style, that flourish, that special boxing. You get a low workrate, workmanlike, one paced a done dimensional performance. He's made a good living out of it since the Clottey fight, when he looked just about finished. IMO been fighting on fumes since then, has managed to rape many opponents in negotiations and managed to con a lot of people. There's so little variety, so little of the random and exciting, in his fights. Good, reliable, respectable Cotto.