WBO World Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Smith will make the third defence of his World Title against pound-for-pound star Canelo Alvarez on Saturday 17th September in America.
The mega-event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions will be in association with Frank Warren.
LOS ANGELES (June 24, 2016) – Known for his power and dominance in the ring, Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) will look to win his third title in the junior middleweight division when he challenges undefeated heavy-hitter Liam “Beefy” Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship on Saturday, September 17. A battle between two power-punchers, Canelo vs. Smith promises action between two fighters willing to take a punch in order to secure the next Knockout of the Year. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Information regarding venue and tickets will be announced shortly.
“I am very pleased to announce my next fight against Liam Smith, a tremendous fighter with real knockout power, and the WBO junior middleweight world title owner,” said Canelo Alvarez. “I have no doubt that this fight will be give and take, which will fill the expectations of the fans, and I will work with all the enthusiasm as I always do to get the upper hand on 17 September.”
By Dan Ambrose: Mexican star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s next opponent is expected to be announced soon for his next fight on September 17 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Canelo, 25, won’t be fighting IBF/IBO/WBA/WBC heavyweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin on this date, because Canelo’s promoters at Golden Boy Promotions wants the fight to marinate more so that it makes more money when/if it does take place.
Now that Golovkin is out of the picture, Canelo is expected to fight for a world title at junior middleweight on September 17. The fighter that many believe Canelo will be facing is unbeaten WBO 154lb champion Liam Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs).
By Dan Ambrose: Golden Boy Promotions Vice President Eric Gomez said this week that he’ll be talking with Gennady Golovkin’s management this Monday to see if a fight between GGG and Golden Boy fighter Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is something they would see as beneficial for September.
It’s thought by many fans that Golden Boy won’t let the popular Canelo take the fight against Golovkin this year because of the potential of him getting roasted and plucked clean by the Kazakhstan fighter. If Golden Boy doesn’t let Canelo fight Golovkin (or if Canelo doesn’t want the fight himself), then the likely two candidates for Canelo to fight is WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) or former IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux (35-3, 32 KOs).
By Patrick McHugh: Gennady “GGG” Golovkin has competition in trying to be the next opponent for the highly popular Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. According to Golden Boy Promotions vice president Eric Gomez, the following fighters are all being considered for Canelo’s next fight: Floyd Mayweather Jr., Liam Smith, Billy Joe Saunders, Daniel Jacobs, Shawn Porter, Miguel Cotto and Golovkin.
That’s not good for Triple G because some of those fighters are big names. Golovkin would have a hard time trying to compete with Cotto or Mayweather for a fight against Canelo if that’s the direction Golden Boy wants to go in for his next fight in September. Cotto and Mayweather are big pay-per-view fighters, and they’ve proven it over and over again during their careers.
By Eric Baldwin: WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith’s promoter Frank Warren says he’s going to try and get him a big name for his next fight this year. Warren would like to match the 27-year-old Smith against either Saul “Canelo” Alvarez or Kell Brook. Warren also would like to put together a fight between Smith and Miguel Cotto if possible.
Warren says he should know within the next week where he stands with Smith in getting him a big name.
Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) defeated #11 WBO contender Predrag Radosevic (30-2, 11 KOs) by a 2nd round knockout last Saturday night in their fight at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
By Scott Gilfoid: WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) not surprisingly destroyed #11 WBO fringe contender Predrag Radosevic (30-2, 11 KOs) in a 2nd round knockout on Saturday night to retain his WBO title at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England. This fight was such a mismatch that Smith was smiling almost laughing while he was beating up Predrag. It was just woeful to watch how inept Predrag was in this fight.
By Scott Gilfoid: WBO light middleweight champion Liam Smith (22-0-1, 12 KOs) has his hopes up for him getting some big fights after he dispatches tonight’s opponent Predrag Radosevic (30-1, 11 KOs) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. Smith, 27, wants to fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Miguel Cotto or fight a unification match against one of the Charlo brothers.
Whether Smith actually does fight any of those guys remains to be seen. We’ve not seen Smith fight any of the big names or even any real talented contenders in the division thus far during his eight-year pro career. Given Smith’s past track record for fights, you would have to be doubtful whether he’ll suddenly start fighting the bigger names and/or more talented fighters in the division all of a sudden at this point.
By Scott Gilfoid: WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith (22-0-1, 12 KOs) made weight on Friday in coming in right at the limit for the division at 154 pounds for his title defense on Saturday night against Predrag Radosevic (30-1, 11 KOs) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
Predrag weighed in a pound less at 153lbs. The Smith vs. Predrag fight will be televised on BoxNation. I’m not sure if this is going to be a good bout or not because it’s such a mismatch on paper. Predrag, 31, has only fought one well known opponent during his career and that was Felix Sturm, who obliterated him in four rounds.
By Dan Ambrose: It looks like former WBC middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) won’t be facing IBF/IBO/WBA/WBC middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin after all. According to WBO junior middleweight champion Liam Smith (22-0-1, 12 KOs), he’s been offered a fight with Canelo. Smith says Canelo would be challenging him for his WBO junior middleweight title at 154.
It’s unclear when the 27-year-old Smith and Canelo are supposed to be fighting. Smith has a title defense against #8 WBO Predrag Radosevic (30-1, 11 KOs) this Saturday night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
This will be the second straight voluntary defense for Smith. In theory, he’s supposed to be facing his #1 WBO mandatory challenger next, or the highest ranked contender that is willing to fight him.