By Dan Ambrose: Canelo Alvarez says he wants to unify the 168-pound division for his next fight following his victory over WBA 168-pound champion Callum Smith on Saturday night in San Antonio, Texas. Canelo was too good for Smith, beating him by a horribly one-sided fight.
Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) became a four-division world champion with his 12 round unanimous decision win over Callum (27-1, 19 KOs) at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
The fight was too one-sided for it to be as entertaining as some of Canelo’s past fights. Although Canelo repeatedly referred to Smith as the #1 fighter in the 168-lb division during the build-up to the fight tonight, it was clear that he wasn’t anywhere near that level.
Canelo wants to unify next
“I did a great job after 13 months of a layoff against a great fighter, and as you can see, I did a great job,” said Canelo in speaking through an interpreter that didn’t appear to have a full grasp of the English language. “I’m the best in the world.
“Since the first round, I tried to see what he brings, the skills or whatever, but as you see, I showed what I am. I feel great at 168, I don’t want to fight with the scale, and after 13 months, you can see what I can do.
“It’s one of the best nights for me. I conquered, of course, the unified titles in one of the greatest nights I had. I go for more. I want to unify, I want all the belts,” said Canelo when asked what he wants to do next. “It doesn’t matter who is there.”
I’m not sure where Canelo found his interpreter for the post-fight interview, but he needs to go back to the women that were working with him during this fight. She knew English fluently and did a great job of translating.
We saw that in Smith’s last fight against John Ryder that he’s not an elite-level fighter, because he appeared to lose to him.
The guys that are the real talents that Canelo need to worry about are these fighters:
- Caleb Plant
- Edgar Berlanga
- Billy Joe Saunders
- David Benavidez
- Bektemir Melikuziev
- Dimitry Bivol – could come down to 168
Alvarez says he’s not running from GGG
“I don’t run from nobody. I just show that I fought against the best. But of course, if he’s going to take place the fight, then I’ll take it. I’ll show to the world that I fight against the best,” said Canelo when asked if he’d be interested in fighting Gennady Golovkin.
“I feel more mature, I feel better, and he is one of the best, but not the best. I have a lot of challenges to do during my career.
“This is not the most complicated. I feel really proud to have this on my head,” said Canelo about his four-division world champion ap that he was wearing on his had after the fight.
“I came here not only to represent my country but boxing. We go for more, said Canelo.
Alvarez says he’s not running from GGG, but boxing fans are going to believe he is if he keeps ignoring him. Golovkin outshined Canelo with his seventh-round knockout win over Kamil Szeremeta last Friday night in Hollywood, Florida.
Even though the 38-year-old Golovkin is eight years older than the 30-year-old Canelo, he looked more impressive in his fight, more powerful, and in better physical condition.