Liam Smith: Not be as good as we think?

[Ruthless-RKO]

It's just a title, but do we really know how well he can perform against an elite proven boxer like Canelo?

I'm not trying to deny that Smith is a good boxer, I just feel since he won the WBO title, fair enough he had a nice and easy first defence against 'Jimmy' Kilrain Kelly, who fair to him, was unbeaten at the time. Then his 2nd defence he took this year was against a then ranked WBO #11 Predrag Radosevic, who Smith stopped in 2 rounds. Now Canelo chose to fight Smith, ODH claims they chose Smith because he is the best at the 154lb limit, which I think is bullsh*t. I have a feeling it could go the distance, then part of me feels it can end within a few rounds or even just passed the halfway with Canelo stopping Smith.

In Smith's defence, he didn't know he was going to be fighting Canelo after Radosevic, but for a second defence I think he should have fought someone much better to at least give the fans a taste of what Smith can do at the bigger stage. This is why he is a paper champion, this is why hardly any of the so called 70,000 tonight will hardly know him. Right now, fans are saying Smith can knock Canelo out? based on what? Who has he really fought for fans to make that statement?

Demetrius Andrade, never lost the fight, but I don't think he would have been fit, then you got Austin Trout, maybe in the US? Michel Soro? Vanes Martirosyan, had he not fought Lara? Any one of the Charlo's?

This is just my opinion, feel free to add yours? Have you been satisfied with Smith's recent opposition? Should he have had a tougher 2nd defence? Have you seen enough of what he can do in the ring to say he can actually beat Canelo?

[crusader]

How good do people think he is? I don't get a sense that he's generally rated that highly, and of course Oscar is going to pull out stuff like 'the best champion at 154' to help sell the fight.

His best opponent is arguably John Thompson, so he definitely hasn't been in the type of fights that would prepare him well for Canelo; it's going to be a massive step up in levels...

[Horse]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

A lot of people think he has the power to stop Canelo? or outbox him..

[Fitzy901]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

A lot of people think he has the power to stop Canelo? or outbox him..

The only person who has a chance of stopping Canelo is Triple G.

Can he outbox and beat him on points? Maybe...is it likely? No

[MightyWarrior]

Frank's a word class matchmaker and usually gets it right, but surely even he knows Smith is getting beaten tonight, and possibly quite brutally.
Unless Liam IS as tough as they say, which he'll have to be, then he mighty hang in their for 12 ...but it's gonna be brutal.

Standing right in front of a powerhouse like Canelo on home ground in Texas ( near enough ) it's gonna resemble the last stand at the Alamo.

I think Frank had to make it at Liam's insistence, otherwise he might have moved same place as his brothers.

You never really know how good an unbeaten, relatively untested fighter is, but I think we'd have seen something exceptional by now, to give him a chance against a superstar like Alvarez.

I'm looking forward to this big time though, it'll be bombs away while it lasts, and I really hope Smith puts on a great show..be interesting to see if he's smiling away as he trades punches like he usually does..doubt it somehow !

Great to see a Brit step up like this and take on the very best though.

[Ruthless-RKO]

If he fights the same way as Brook did against GGG e.g. winning few rounds and then gets stopped in the middle rounds, do we give him respect? oR LIKE khan was ahead on many scorecards apart from the 3 judges sat ringside and boxed quite well. But then you would say Canelo and GGG like to take a few rounds to settle in before going for the kill.

If this fight goes beyond 6 rounds, and it's competitive then I will say respect to Smith, I will score this fight myself, I don't know if the commentators are going to be biased on allegedly how Sky Sports were biased on the Brook-GGG fight. Might just watch it in mute.

[dookus]

There's been a lot of talk on here about how durable Liam Smith is. How do we know that? Who has he fought who can punch? Was he ever down as an amateur?

[davie]

A lot of people look at the match up of styles and compare how individual attributes marry up in a contest and perhaps completely overlook levels.
Canelo is a couple levels about Smith ability wise and for me Liam isn't even genuine world level let alone the elite domain that you may (or may not) put Alvarez in.

Canelo hasn't just mixed at world title level, he has got in the ring with a very high level of opponent from a you age.
Smith hasn't even fought anyone to justify his ABC strap and doesn't even look good enough to be a legitimate world champion IMO.

Canelo will beat him comfortably and Liams size and durability will be the only thing that makes it remotely competitive.

I'd love him to go out there and make me eat my words, as I hold no malice for the lad, he seems like a down to earth fella but I think this is a mismatch and I'm glad he has got his payday because I don't think he wins a round and it might be the last we ever see of him in a world title bout.

[Ruthless-RKO]

There's been a lot of talk on here about how durable Liam Smith is. How do we know that? Who has he fought who can punch? Was he ever down as an amateur?

This. Spot on!!

[forcefraser]

Canelo has a neck like a gorilla. It will take some punch to crack that noggin and Smith doesn`t appear to have that sort of firepower.

For me his best chance is to stay in the pocket and work the body heavily. He won`t win a fight at distance with Canelo, who actually judges distance far better than most people give him credit for. Nobody really likes it to the body and Smith does look handy when going downstairs.

It`s a tricky one really. Canelo wins it hands down for me, but not sure whether he will stop Smith. Matty Hatton gave away a massive weight advantage and went the distance, Ryan Rhodes almost took him the distance, so would it really be such an achievement if Beefy went the distance here? Canelo has most likely improved since fighting Hatton and Rhodes, but it wouldn`t surprise me if Smith saw the final bell and went down to a clear and dominant points defeat.

It is difficult to judge how good Smith is as he has fought nobody even resembling world class. He`s destroyed most of those put in front of him, but the gulf between what he has fought and what he will be fighting is enormous.

[Autobarn]

I hope we can get one huge result for the UK after a couple of big fight stoppage defeats (Holovkin-Brook and Alvarez-Khan).

Or at the very least a really good fight.

We already thought Golovkin was drained or suffering a cold/flu but that didn't change the outcome for Brook.

Hoping we haven't seen the best of Smith, that he's able to carry out a solid plan - avoiding early punishment, preventing Canelo from conserving energy and lasting long enough to punish the "superstar" during the compulsory fade - and make for an attractive fight.

[Autobarn]

Canelo has a neck like a gorilla. It will take some punch to crack that noggin and Smith doesn`t appear to have that sort of firepower.

For me his best chance is to stay in the pocket and work the body heavily. He won`t win a fight at distance with Canelo, who actually judges distance far better than most people give him credit for. Nobody really likes it to the body and Smith does look handy when going downstairs.

It`s a tricky one really. Canelo wins it hands down for me, but not sure whether he will stop Smith. Matty Hatton gave away a massive weight advantage and went the distance, Ryan Rhodes almost took him the distance, so would it really be such an achievement if Beefy went the distance here? Canelo has most likely improved since fighting Hatton and Rhodes, but it wouldn`t surprise me if Smith saw the final bell and went down to a clear and dominant points defeat.

It is difficult to judge how good Smith is as he has fought nobody even resembling world class. He`s destroyed most of those put in front of him, but the gulf between what he has fought and what he will be fighting is enormous.

is Smith mobile and quick enough to get in and out?

Is he accomplished and mature enough to feint, draw the leads, evade the shots and then take the openings?

I'd like to see someone punish Canelo just after one of his big combinations, when he wants to take that breather.

[TheCobra]

Liam Smith is the absolute definition of paper champion. The WBO belt is devalued nowadays as they always end up in the hands of Fwank fighters, usually in lower end world title fights and shoddy defences.

The WBO is the new WBU belt for me, not worthless, but on the other hand not a proper title.

Smith hasn't fought proper world level guys like Canelo has fought, but I do think he's a decent enough Euro level guy so he could go fairly well in the fight. Canelo for me is slightly overrated, it was a few years ago I know but Matt Hatton went 12, Ryan Rhodes almost did so I do think Smith has a chance of seeing out the 12 rounds.

[lefty]

There's been a lot of talk on here about how durable Liam Smith is. How do we know that? Who has he fought who can punch? Was he ever down as an amateur?

Yeah. We don't know really. Saying that though- he apparantly regularly spars Callum and handles himself well. He also seemed to absorb Brooks punches pretty well in that brief sparring clip we saw. I know these are just sparring tales though.

[ShadrachSimmo]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

Pretty much agree with all that horse.

He won't be doing his stupid gurning grinning face when Alvarez is all over him.

[lefty]

Liam Smith is the absolute definition of paper champion. The WBO belt is devalued nowadays as they always end up in the hands of Fwank fighters, usually in lower end world title fights and shoddy defences.

The WBO is the new WBU belt for me, not worthless, but on the other hand not a proper title.

Smith hasn't fought proper world level guys like Canelo has fought, but I do think he's a decent enough Euro level guy so he could go fairly well in the fight. Canelo for me is slightly overrated, it was a few years ago I know but Matt Hatton went 12, Ryan Rhodes almost did so I do think Smith has a chance of seeing out the 12 rounds.

I have the feeling Matt Hatton is pretty tough though. Whilst he was never exactly parnell whitaker defensively speaking- he wasn't quite the stand right in front of you type that Liam is aswell which could be the latter's downfall.

[rab]

huge step up in level for smith. i can't make a technical argument for him winning, but he has something about him that makes me think he has a lot more to show than what we have seen so far. look at the thompson fight. first couple of rounds i thought he was way out of his depth,the last two rounds he had him in his pocket . looked to me like he worked out what he had to do and did it in a very short space of time.

canelo's best work happens at that 3/4 distance though he is no slouch with the uppercuts close in. if, and it is a big if, smith can make him work every minute of every round and make it a dirty fight (not illegal dirty) who knows how well he can do. i am really looking forward to this fight ,i think it will be far more competitive than brook vs ggg.

have to admit to being a fan of liam and the smith brothers in general. great story and all seem genuine hard working lads.

[whiskey]

No way Smith wins on points against Canelo on a GBP show in Texas.

[arlovski]

I'd like Smith to do well and even win; he's an exciting fighter with great offensive skills and from what i've heard a nice bloke.

But the thought of Gallagher gabbing away like a broken Manc record if Smith did win, is enough to make me want Canelo to do the business

That recent IFL interview with Gallagher was the tipping point, 5 minutes of him bleating on about his gym not getting respect and having to do twice as much as others to get recognition was just ludicrous, he's never out the gob's of the Sky commentator's+pundits and they did a full feature length special on him specifically a while back, 'My name is Joe' or something like that. There's great professional coaches all over the UK working in absolute obscurity producing quality fighters with zero tv or promotional backing ffs

Boxing is a minority sport these days, whether we like it or not. Picking up the shittest+weakest version of a world title without even fighting anyone in the world top 80 is not worthy of front (or back) page news

[rd350lc]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

Now there's a suprise , somebody Horse doesn't like - bet that list is very , very long .

[Stevieb8006]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

A lot of people think he has the power to stop Canelo? or outbox him..

Who???

[rd350lc]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

A lot of people think he has the power to stop Canelo? or outbox him..

Who???

Joe G maybe ? , no think he has more sense .

just seen the face off and Smith towers above him , of no significance obviously

Wish him all the best in such a tough ask.

[freddydoesdallas]

Is Liam Smith rated highly on here?

His record is awful, I don't rate him and I don't like him.

A lot of people think he has the power to stop Canelo? or outbox him..

Who???

This. I've not seen one post that has even said there is a chance of this happening let alone stating it will happen.

I think (hope) Smith can go 12

[Horse]

Now there's a suprise , somebody Horse doesn't like - bet that list is very , very long .

And you're on it.