Saul Alvarez braced for his battle with Liam Smith

24 August 2016 08:53

Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez has predicted fireworks when he looks to relieve Britain's Liam Smith of his WBO light-middleweight title on September 17 in Texas.

Mexico's Alvarez, considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, surprised many by turning down the chance to move up to middleweight to fight Gennady Golovkin after knocking out another Brit in Amir Khan in his last fight - instead dropping back down to 154 lbs to take on Smith (23-0-1, 13KO wins).

The 28-year-old Smith has made two routine defences of his title but faces a completely different task against Alvarez - a win for the Liverpudlian would arguably represent the biggest upset by a British boxer on foreign soil since Lloyd Honeyghan's victory over welterweight superstar Donald Curry in 1986.

And 26-year-old Alvarez (47-1-1, 33KO), whose only defeat came at the hands of Floyd Mayweather three years ago, believes both men will be looking to win inside the distance.

"I have looked at him - and the style more than anything is what we like," said Alvarez.

"He's a good fighter, he's a champion, he's very strong. He's got a Mexican style - a guy who stands there and likes to exchange punches. That's one of the things that attracted us to the fight.

"Part of the reason for choosing him is he's a world champion. I want to win another world title in my weight class, 154, and then after that we'll see what's available.

"I don't think he's going to change his style. I think that he's going to do what he does best and be aggressive and throw combinations, keep coming forward.

"I'm always ready for any style; I prepare myself for any style and I'll be ready for anything."

The fight will be Smith's first outside the UK, and the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington is set to provide an intimidating setting.

However, Alvarez is not counting on the atmosphere to give him an advantage.

"I'm preparing for the best possible Liam Smith there is," he added.

"I don't think about the crowd, I don't think about people cheering, I just go up there and my focus is to get the job done."

Alvarez' promoter Oscar de la Hoya refuted suggestions that the decision to fight Smith was based on fearing unbeaten Golovkin, who has won 32 of his 35 contests by knockout.

"He's a 54 pounder and he's going to go up to 60 when he feels ready," De La Hoya said.

"When you're on top of the world - and that's what Canelo is now, he's the star fighter in boxing - people want you to fight the very best, and he has always fought the very best.

"Golovkin is going to be no exception - he's going to fight him, but when he's ready to go up to 160."

Source: PA