Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez goaded by Liam Smith's trainer Joe Gallagher
Tuesday 16 August 2016 17:27, UK
Joe Gallagher believes Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez is underestimating Liam Smith and will end up wishing he had fought Gennady Golovkin.
WBO world super-welterweight champion Smith (23-0-1-KO13) will enter the AT&T Stadium in Dallas on September 17 an overwhelming underdog as he bids to deny the Mexican (47-1-1-KO33) hero a fourth world title.
The opinions of experts and bookmakers are of little consequence to the Liverpudlian's trainer, though, and Gallagher is confident Alvarez and his team will live to regret their decision to postpone a showdown with middleweight king Golovkin.
Gallagher told a press conference in London: "I feel Saul Alvarez and the Golden Boy have made a huge mistake here. Losing to Liam Smith they'll take harder than Triple G. They should have taken the Triple G fight.
"It's a huge opportunity for Liam Smith. He'll prove he's one of the best when he fights Saul Alvarez in September. Saul Alvarez is a top, top fighter when you look at who he's fought.
"They're both good punchers. Both good body punchers. Neither man will want to back down. The best fighter will win, and the loser will go back to Mexico!
"After being over there in Dallas and seeing the stadium, Liverpool now has a chance to go over there and support Liam Smith, just like Ricky Hatton's fans.
"I'm looking forward to Liam Smith going over there and giving Saul Alvarez huge problems on the night. Liam Smith's chest was rising, puffing out [when he arrived in the stadium]."
At the age of 27, Smith himself appears ready for the big time.
He told Sky Sports: "I'm not going there to make the numbers up and I'm not going to give my title away. I'm going there to make a name for myself, not really in America but in the world of boxing.
"I think there's only Floyd Mayweather has gone in there and not feared him. I'm the same. If you know me as a person, I'm not going there in fear and awe; I'm going there to beat him. I'm not changing my mentality.
"I'm going there to fight like I always fight and I'm going there to stop Canelo. I'll cherish every bit of it. You have to know me as a person to know I'm not fazed by that [the stadium].
"I'm stepping up to this level and time will tell whether I'm at that level. I firmly believe I am. We'll wait until September and then all questions will be answered."
Alvarez was last seen in May when he recorded a devastating sixth-round knockout of Amir Khan.
