Callum Smith has shared his thoughts on Canelo Alvarez and Artur Beterbiev after facing both fighters in the ring. The British boxer says he "expected more" from both champions, offering a unique perspective as someone who's gone toe-to-toe with each of them.
Smith's journey through the upper weight classes has been tough. He lost a unanimous decision to Canelo Alvarez for the WBO Super-Middleweight World title. After taking nearly a year off, he moved up to light-heavyweight and scored two impressive knockouts. But his run came to an end when Artur Beterbiev stopped him in the seventh round of their unified light-heavyweight championship bout.
In an interview with Boxing Social, Smith talked about Canelo's power and style:
"His power wasn't massive. Listen, decent puncher but to be honest I probably expected bigger. He keeps you thinking about what's coming next and before you know it he's closed the gap down without throwing a punch. He's just a clever fighter and so hard to hit clean."
Smith pointed out that Canelo's ring presence and ability to close the gap make him a tricky opponent. The Mexican star keeps his rivals guessing, which adds to his effectiveness.
When it comes to Beterbiev, Smith had a different take. He told Sky Sports:
"His power, look he stopped me, but until those shots and knockdown I didn't feel anything power-wise. He's just good at, he's a bit like my brother Liam, he's just good at always constantly touching, touching, just obviously his touching is a little bit harder."
Smith compared Beterbiev's style to that of his brother, Liam Smith, who Canelo had beaten for the WBO Super-Welterweight World title four years before facing Callum. The constant pressure and touching from Beterbiev, Smith explained, makes it hard for opponents to find their rhythm.
Despite his criticisms, Smith acknowledged Beterbiev's skills, saying, "He's a good champion."
Beterbiev recently became the undisputed light-heavyweight champion by beating Dmitry Bivol. There's talk of a possible fight between Beterbiev and Canelo, which would be interesting given Smith's insights.
Canelo, meanwhile, is looking to avenge his loss to Bivol at 175 lbs and is searching for an opponent in 2025. As for Beterbiev, who has stopped all 20 of his professional opponents, he'll likely have an immediate rematch with Bivol.
Smith's experiences with both fighters offer a rare glimpse into what it's like to face two of boxing's top champions. His insights will certainly add to the conversation as fans and pundits discuss potential matchups in the light-heavyweight division.
