Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
Boxing superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez dominated Callum Smith on Saturday night in San Antonio, Texas. The 12-round decision victory netted the 30-year-old Mexican his opponent’s WBA and The Ring magazine super middleweight championship belts as well as the vacant WBC title.
Alvarez’s clean and powerful counterpunching was just too much for the previously undefeated 168-pound champ to handle.
Canelo dominated Callum Smith 🔥#CaneloSmith
(via @DAZNBoxing)pic.twitter.com/wxQFwCj6pH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 20, 2020
You can watch highlights of Alvarez’s big win over Smith below.
According to ESPN, the win made Alvarez the first unified boxing champ in the 168-pound division from Mexico.
With a win over Callum Smith, @Canelo becomes the first unified champion from Mexico in super middleweight history 🇲🇽 #CaneloSmith pic.twitter.com/rNOUc0qpmP
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) December 20, 2020
Moreover, the victory over Smith made Alvarez a legit world champion across four different divisions.
A CLINICAL PERFORMANCE FROM CANELO. pic.twitter.com/6ySsgDEK3w
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 20, 2020
After beating Smith for his belts Saturday night, Alvarez has now won legit world titles in boxing’s 154-pound, 160-pound, 168-pound, and 175-pound weight classes.
UFC Reactions to Canelo vs. Smith
UFC middleweight title challenger Kelvin Gastelum was hyped about the big fight.
Let’s enjoy this 🤩 #CaneloSmith
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) December 20, 2020
Retired UFC light heavyweight Jimi Manuwa declared Alvarez the best fighter in boxing today.
Canelo is pound for pound no1 best boxer in the world. #CaneloVsSmith
— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) December 20, 2020
UFC middleweight Derek Brunson was also watching the action.
Canelo is a dog ! 🔥
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) December 20, 2020
More Reactions from Celebs and Boxing World
Alvarez hasn’t lost a prizefight since losing via majority decision to Floyd Mayweather back in 2013. Did that loss help mold Alvarez into the fighter he’s become today? At least one person seems to thinks so.
How Canelo is seeing everyone else’s punches after fighting Mayweather. 😂 #CaneloSmith @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/2guWzFvX5g
— Will Blackmon 🍷 (@WillBlackmon) December 20, 2020
Indeed, the punch stats provided by CompuBox to ESPN show just how dominant Alvarez was against Smith.
Canelo is on another level 🤯 @ESPNRingside pic.twitter.com/nR78cZcZWP
— ESPN (@espn) December 20, 2020
The Ring magazine’s Doug Fischer saw Alvarez in such an impressive light that the famed boxing writer questioned the judges’ scorecards in the fight. Judges scored the fight 119-109, 119-109, and 117-111 for Alvarez.
One of the judges found three rounds for Smith? OK. Well, anyway, now we can call Canelo a four-division titleholder. Ring champ at middleweight and super middleweight. Not too shabby. (Cue the #Salty Society to demand that Canelo be immediately stripped of his 160-pound title.)
— Douglass Fischer (@dougiefischer) December 20, 2020
Rachel McCarson from “Real Talk with Kelsey and Rachel” likened Alvarez’s performance to that of a Terminator.
Canelo: pic.twitter.com/L0zx57uDuZ
— Rachel (@rachel_mccarson) December 20, 2020
Ring TV host Cynthia Conte noted just how impressive Alvarez was against the consensus top 168-pounder in the sport.
Canelo SHUT IT DOWN tonight #CaneloSmith #boxing
— Cynthia Conte (@cynthia_conte) December 20, 2020
Some fans and media were looking at who Alvarez might fight next already.
Canelo vs. Jake Paul anyone?
Canelo Alvarez vs Jake Paul is all that matters now.
— Kelsey McCarson (@kelsey_mccarson) December 20, 2020
Award-winning boxing writer David Greisman noted how many more big fights could be on their way for Alvarez someday soon. After all, for a fighter who can fight anywhere between 160 and 175, there would seem to be plenty of options.
Canelo's faced and beaten some very good names. Plenty more to face. I believe he'll keep meeting more of the big names and that the occasional keep-busy sessions he had in the past (Rocky Fielding, Chavez Jr., etc) will be rarer.
— David Greisman (@fightingwords2) December 20, 2020
Indeed, Alvarez has already accomplished many amazing feats in the sport of boxing, and the superstar could be on his way to even bigger and better fights someday soon.
Options for Alvarez’s next fight includes stars and champions across three different weight classes.
WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders declared he wanted Alvarez next.
@Canelo well done nw 2021 unification 💯 let’s get it on @MTKGlobal @EddieHearn
— billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) December 20, 2020
Like any Alvarez fight these days, that would be a huge night for boxing.
The winner of Canelo vs. Saunders would have three of the four major alphabet belts in boxing’s super middleweight division and a good chance to fight for undisputed status.
But he’s not the only option.
ESPN’s Max Kellerman already has a list ready.
List of boxers I’d like to see #Canelo fight in order of preference:
1. Beterbiev
2. Charlo
3. Andrade
4. Bivol
5. Benavidez— Max Kellerman (@maxkellerman) December 20, 2020
Boxing trainer Teddy Atlas revealed which fight he would rather not see next.
I know his fans won’t like this but at this stage of their careers GGG no longer competitive with Canelo. Not now. #CaneloSmith #Canelo
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) December 20, 2020
Alvarez is a free-agent in regards to television networks and streaming platforms right now, so he could end up fighting anyone he chooses next so long as a deal can be made for the fight.
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Twitter: @Kelsey_McCarson
YouTube: Real Talk with Kelsey and Rachel