Callum Smith says he’s “bad fight” for Canelo

We are still wondering whom Canelo Alvarez’s next opponent will be likely for the month of May? And a possible World Champion from Britain thinks he’s not a good fit, even if he’s deserving.

Englands’s Callum Smith is the WBA Super-Middleweight titleholder and winner in 2018 of the World Boxing Super Series championship in that division. And, Smith spoke to Sky Sports this weekend about the possibility of fighting Canelo in the near future:

? ''I'm a bad fight for him'' @CallumSmith23 believes he has all the right attributes to trouble @Canelo as talk of a super-fight rumbles on

Do you think Callum can beat Canelo? ? pic.twitter.com/8ryuKW0V5g

— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) February 3, 2020

“He’s (Canelo) a very, very good fighter. But, I think stylelisticly, styles make fights. I think I’m a bit of a bad fight for him… I just think I’m 6’3. I’m a lot bigger than him. I can punch and I think just, style-wise, I’m not ideal to fight.”

Obviously, Smith is attractive because of his unbeaten record, the fact that he holds a portion of the Super Middleweight title and is a fan favorite in the U.K.

However, he was unimpressive in his most latest title defense in November in his hometown of Liverpool, England, with journeyman Contender John Ryder, who pushed him to a 12-round decision. And, as we wrote, Smith tactically chose to lay back on the ropes against a smaller and lesser talented fighter making things much more difficult than they probably had to be.

Alvarez reportedly is in talks with fighting Japanese WBA “regular” 160 lb. Champion Ryota Murata. A Japanese media outlet erroneously reported late last week the Canelo and Murata had already agreed to fight and would be doing so at the Saitama Sports Complex in Saitama, Japan, in May. That report has gone unsubstantiated and now, dismissed.

Alvarez could also end up fighting Smith’s fellow countrymen and WBO 168 lb. titleholder, Billy Joe Saunders, instead and potentially, May 2nd in Las Vegas.

Still, Saunders may be an opponent for American WBO Middleweight Champion Demetrius Andrade. Andrade just won his latest defense by 9th round TKO over Ireland’s Luke Keeler last Thursday night in Miami. Post fight, Andrade specifically mentioned a possible showdown with Saunders. And, those two were supposed to have met in 2018 before Saunders failed a PED test.

So, now we circle back to Callum Smith, and he’s right: he has height, reach and youth on his side in a possible matchup with Canelo.

Further, there is also a “family revenge angle,” as Smith’s older brother Liam battled Canelo for the WBO Jr. Middleweight Championship back in September of 2016. And, Alvarez knocked out the elder Smith in 9 rounds that night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

While Callum Smith might be attractive for a fight in the U.K., he has also fought previously at Madison Square Garden in New York on the undercard of Andy Ruiz’s upset of Anthony Joshua last June. That night he knocked out Hassan N’Jikam in three rounds in his first title defense.

Finally, the key is Canelo, Golden Boy Promotions and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, which controls Callum Smith. Now, we wait to see what the worldwide star wants to do next, and whether Smith is in his immediate future or not?