Liam Smith speaks to Boxing Social about helping prepare his brother Callum for the challenge of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez this weekend, as well his own hopes to get back in the ring as soon as possible…
With respectful nods to the Belchers, Turpins, McDonnells and Hattons, the Smith brothers from Liverpool – Callum, Liam, Stephen and Paul – are without doubt the most successful set of siblings in British boxing history.
As former WBO 154lbs titlist Liam points out with pride: “We have four British champions in our family. That will probably never happen again. We’ve also got two brothers who have won a world title, and I think that’s the first time that’s happened with British boxers.
“We’ve got a lot of history and, as a family, we’re proud of everything we’ve done. Very proud. We’re from a big family but a good family. We’re just four normal kids who were brought up on a council estate.”
This weekend, the Smith family could end up celebrating their biggest triumph of all, if ‘baby’ brother Callum – aged 30 – can upset the great Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in the duo’s battle for the WBC, WBA and Ring magazine super-middleweight crowns at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
“What we’ve done in boxing as a family we can walk away happy with,” Liam points out. “But for Callum to go and beat Canelo Alvarez will be the icing on the cake. It’ll be history and the best win by a British fighter by a long way. He’ll be a superstar overnight.”
on Saturday night. Photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing USA.
Liam is well placed to advise his brother on the challenge that faces him against the versatile, well-schooled and powerful Canelo, having himself squared off against the Mexican at the AT&T Stadium back in 2016. ‘Beefy’ demonstrated his resilience and heart that night, twice getting off the canvas before being halted by a vicious body shot in round nine, and thus ceding his WBO title.
“There’s no one with better knowledge than myself to help Callum,” Liam points out with his customary passion and good cheer. “Nothing against Joe [Gallagher] or any other coach – but no matter how much you study someone there is no better preparation than speaking to someone who’s been in the ring with the person you’re fighting.
“I’ve passed on what I know about Canelo to Callum. I learned a lot about the stuff he does well. I’ve told Callum the things he does well and the things he struggles with that I think Callum can exploit.”
Liam mentions one flaw in particular that he feels his brother is well-placed to take advantage of.
“Canelo is a very talented fighter and doesn’t make many mistakes but one of the mistakes he makes I feel matches with Callum’s best asset. Canelo lifts his head up a bit – if you watch any video of any of his fights – any left to the head he throws he lifts his head in the air when he throws it. I could show you 10 videos on my phone of that. Callum has one of the best left hooks and counter left hooks in the business and I think he can have a lot of success that way.”
Callum – at a towering 6’3” – dwarfs the 5’8” Canelo in terms of height, and Liam also believes that his brother is a more powerful fighter than the Mexican.
“I think that Canelo at 168 doesn’t punch as hard as people think,” he argues. “I think Canelo was struggling a bit with [Sergey] Kovalev [in his last fight]. I thought he struggled with straight shots. I know he eventually knocked Kovalev down and knocked him out but I think Callum is a better fighter than Kovalev. Obviously, Kovalev is a massive puncher and was a good fighter back in the day before he was on the slide and had his drink problems or whatever else.
“Callum is 30 years old, at his peak and ready to step on the gas. If he beats Canelo Alvarez he becomes one of the elite fighters, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world along with your Crawfords and whoever else.”
Although the Canelo fight was only officially confirmed a few weeks ago, Liam insists that his brother has had enough time to be ready.
“Preparations have been going well. Yes, Callum’s only had a few weeks’ notice but he knew before the Canelo fight was confirmed that he was going to fight on that date. He’d been sent a list of opponents from [promoter] Eddie [Hearn] in case the Canelo fight didn’t happen so he knew he’d be fighting on December 19 and was working towards that.”
Photo: Matchroom Boxing USA.
Liam flew out to America last week to help during his brother’s final preparations for Saturday’s and, once the contest and Christmas are out of the way, he is targeting his own return to action – having not fought since his December 2019 assignment against Roberto Garcia.
“It’s been a bad year obviously,” he says with a hint of resignation but no sense of despondency. “But it’s been the worst year not just for me but for pretty much everybody. Probably about 80 per cent of boxers are in the same boat as me.
“At the moment, I’m hoping to be out in February at the very latest. I was told it might be December and, once I knew that wasn’t happening, I took my foot off the gas a little bit. I’ve had a little bit of time out, but now I’m back on it and ready. After America, I’ll be back and ready.
“And I’ll fight anyone in the world at 154lbs next. Realistically, I probably won’t get a title fight next. The champions are tied up at the moment. I was close to fighting [WBO champion] Patrick Teixeira but he has a mandatory first against [Brian] Castano. There’s been lots of talk.
“Dennis Hogan and his promoter Paul Keegan have tagged me in lots of things. He had a world title eliminator lined up [against Julian Williams] but I think that fell through when Williams tested positive for Covid. So I’m not sure where the next fight lies, but as I say I’ll fight anyone in the world.
“I don’t need a tune-up fight. I’ve seen Eddie [Hearn] mention he wants to make fight between me and Jessie Vargas so hopefully that can happen in February.”
