Canelo Alvarez is an equal opportunity to destroyer.
The Mexican star has defeated opponents from nine countries in his last 25 fights, which we’ll call his elite period for the purposes of this article. The stretch begins with his first fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, a coming-out ninth-round knockout of Jose Miguel Cotto on the 2010 Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley card.
So what country has bore the brunt of his success the most? Well, if you count everyone he’s faced in his 56 pro fights, it’s Mexico followed by the United States because he fought mostly his countryman and neighbors to the north in the early years of his career.
If you count only those he has faced during his elite period, it’s the United Kingdom, where his opponent on Saturday in San Antonio – Liverpudlian Callum Smith – happens to reside.
Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) has taken down all five of the British fighters he has faced, Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes, Amir Khan, Liam Smith (Callum’s brother) and Rocky Fielding, the last four by knockout.
The U.S. also has five victims during that period – Shane Mosley, Josesito Lopez, Austin Trout, James Kirkland and Daniel Jacobs – but it also has the only man to defeat Alvarez, Floyd Mayweather.
So you’ll forgive British fans if Alvarez leaves them with an uneasy feeling. Callum Smith has already experienced from a close distance.
The youngest of the fighting Smith brothers could only watch while Alvarez knocked out older brother Liam in nine rounds in 2016, also in Texas. They fought before 50,000-plus at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
The younger Smith, who will be defending his super middleweight title, doesn’t look at his fight with Alvarez as an opportunity to avenge his brother’s setback or the honor of his country – he has too much at stake personally – but that certainly would add to a victory.
“Yes and no. It would be nice to get some revenge but this fight will be huge regardless,” Smith said. “It was tough to take at the time, it was [Liam’s] first loss. I think Liam knew he lost to a very good fighter.
“My brother had success on the night, but Canelo was huge for the weight at 154.”
Of course, a victory over Alvarez would be significant for British boxing. And Callum Smith probably has a better chance than his predecessors of pulling it off.
Hatton was a decent fight but a poor man’s version of his brother, Ricky. Ryan Rhodes was a fringe contender. Khan was an elite fighter but too small for Alvarez. Liam Smith is only a solid fighter and, as his brother said, he had physical disadvantages. And Fielding is another fringe contender.
Callum Smith (27-0, 19 KOs) isn’t going to be confused for Joe Calzaghe but he has a good skill set and will be the naturally bigger man in the ring on Saturday. If he can find a way to win, it would be one of the bigger upsets in recent years.
And it would be gratifying for his countrymen.
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Here are two lists. One, the countries of opponents in each of his 56 fights, including the loss to Mayweather and a draw with Kazakhstani Gennadiy Golovkin in their first fight. And, two, the countries of his opponents during his 25-fight elite period. Alvarez’s record against each nation is included.
OVERALL (56 fights)
23 Mexico (22-0-1)
12 U.S. (11-1)
5 U.K. (5-0)
4 Argentina (4-0)
3 Puerto Rico (3-0)
2 Kazakhstan (1-0-1)
2 Russia (2-0)
1 Brazil (1-0)
1 Cuba (1-0)
1 Colombia (1-0)
1 Dominican Republic (1-0)
1 South Africa (1-0)
ELITE PERIOD (24 fights)
6 U.S. (5-1)
5 U.K. (5-0)
3 Mexico (3-0)
3 Puerto Rico (3-0)
2 Argentina (2-0)
2 Kazakhstan (1-0-1)
1 Cuba (1-0)
1 Russia (1-0)
1 South Africa (1-0)
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