Boxing TV Guide: Canelo Alvarez Has Everything to Lose Against Liam Smith
Boxing TV Guide: Canelo Alvarez Has Everything to Lose Against Liam Smith
Canelo Alvarez is entering dangerous territory this Saturday against Liam Smith. It's not that Smith is a particularly dangerous fighter.
Canelo Alvarez is entering dangerous territory this Saturday against Liam Smith.
It's not that Smith is a particularly dangerous fighter. The truth is, we don't know what Smith is. He's never fought anyone resembling a world class fighter, so it's hard to say for certain how much he might challenge boxing's top star. Chances are, not very much.But those low expectations are a problem for Canelo. Smith, who has never fought on U.S. television, is a virtual unknown in the States. Fans are expecting a demolition derby. If they get a competitive boxing match instead, it's going to appear as if Canelo underperformed. That's a bad thing, especially as he hasn't firmly settled into the throne abandoned by Floyd Mayweather as boxing's last remaining superstar. This is no time to falter.
At stake is a super fight with middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. GGG's struggles with Kell Brook last weekend put a dent in his fearsome reputation. Will the same thing happen to Canelo Saturday? That, friends, is why we watch.
Of course, Canelo and Smith aren't the only fighters strapping on gloves this weekend. There are fights from Thursday through Saturday, some that are even worth watching. What's worth your time? Who will win--and why? Read on as we cover every show on American television in our weekly TV Guide.
Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (29-0-1, 16 KOs) vs. Thomas LaManna (21-1, 9 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 15th
Network: CBS Sports Network
Promoter: Peltz Boxing
Undercard bouts: Ray Edwards (12-0) vs. Dan Pasciolla (9-0)
Interest Level: Medium
What to make of this show? Dusty Hernandez-Harrison hopped on board with Roc Nation Sports early on as an exciting prospect. Now he's the guy who barely managed a draw against Mike Dallas Jr. While it's early to say he was exposed as mediocre, that's certainly a real possibility.
Thomas LaManna, believe it or not, is actually a reasonable test for Harrison. He has beaten a similar level of competition and Dusty may have some issues with his size. LaManna is a junior middleweight with two inches on him.
The undercard attraction of former NFL player Ray Edwards against a southpaw heavyweight "prospect" might be a fun slugfest or it might be 8 rounds of holding. Roll the dice with me and let's find out!
Main Event Prediction: Dusty Hernandez-Harrison by Unanimous Decision
Ishe Smith (28-8, 12 KOs) vs. Frank Galarza (17-1-2, 11 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 16th
Network: Bounce TV
Promoter: Mayweather Promotions
Undercard bouts: Domonique Dolton (17-0-1) vs. Justin DeLoach (15-1), J'Leon Love and Sharif Bogere may be swing bouts too
Interest Level: Medium/Low
Sugar Shay seems like a decent enough person. But he's 38, thoroughly washed and dreadfully dull. Why are we being punished like this?
Worse, he will probably win and extend his time as a headliner of cards like this. Frank Galarza was upset by Jarret Hurd on an episode of Shobox, and is very vulnerable. I don't know what to make of the winner, the fight, of anything at all.
The main support fight with Paul Williams protege Justin DeLoach and the solid Domonique Dolton is much more my speed, and something I actively want to view. There's a clear path forward for the winner there. Not so much in the main.
Main Event Prediction: Ishe Smith by Split Decision
Walter Sequeria (17-3, 12 KOs) vs. Ezequiel Maderna (23-3, 15 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 17th
Network: TyC Sports
Promoter: Argentina Boxing Promotions
Undercard bouts: Sebastian Papeschi (8-0) vs. Sergio Cordoba (7-7)
Interest Level: Low
Last time we saw either man, they were getting drubbed by amateur stars who had fewer than ten professional wins. This time, the Boxrec #1 light heavyweight and #1 super middleweight out of Argentina will square off with each other in a battle for the ages. What would Eva Peron think? The mind boggles.
Maderna seems a safe bet in this one, but the only thing that's certain is the winner will get to fight and lose outside Argentina again. High stakes!
Main Event Prediction: Ezequiel Maderna by 8th Round KO
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) vs. Liam Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 17th
Network: HBO PPV
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions
Undercard bouts: Gabriel Rosado (23-9) vs. Willie Monroe Jr. (20-2), Andrew Cancio (17-3-2) vs. Joseph "JoJo" Diaz (21-0), Diego De La Hoya (15-0) vs. Orlando Del Valle (22-2)
Interest Level: Medium
Saul Alvarez by KO.
Oh, the fight card? You wanted more information about it and the main event? OK.
Liam Smith isn't the best fighter in his family. He does, however, have a world title belt. He's never beaten anyone particularly good, isn't a phenomenal puncher, and isn't going to turn the fight into a track meet. He isn't a southpaw. He's gonna get totally abused by Canelo.
The worst case scenario for Canelo is that he is cut at some point or twists an ankle. If Smith proves to be reasonably durable, Alvarez could let this linger all the way to the final bell and grab a unanimous decision in a heatless affair. I'm going to hope for otherwise.
Last week, we saw a top 5 welterweight face the #1 middleweight in the world/the guy Canelo ducked and dropped his middleweight belt to. That was free. It cost nothing. But they want you to dig into your wallet and buy this? And their idea of an incentive is Diego De La Hoya and Gabriel Rosado? The only person on the undercard of this fight who has a prayer of winning a world title in the sport is JoJo Diaz, and even he is iffy.
This isn't pay-per-view quality--it's an Estrella TV cards with Saul Alvarez on top. Can you can tell I'm thrilled?
Main Event Prediction: Saul Alvarez by 8th Round KO
It's not that Smith is a particularly dangerous fighter. The truth is, we don't know what Smith is. He's never fought anyone resembling a world class fighter, so it's hard to say for certain how much he might challenge boxing's top star. Chances are, not very much.But those low expectations are a problem for Canelo. Smith, who has never fought on U.S. television, is a virtual unknown in the States. Fans are expecting a demolition derby. If they get a competitive boxing match instead, it's going to appear as if Canelo underperformed. That's a bad thing, especially as he hasn't firmly settled into the throne abandoned by Floyd Mayweather as boxing's last remaining superstar. This is no time to falter.
At stake is a super fight with middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. GGG's struggles with Kell Brook last weekend put a dent in his fearsome reputation. Will the same thing happen to Canelo Saturday? That, friends, is why we watch.
Of course, Canelo and Smith aren't the only fighters strapping on gloves this weekend. There are fights from Thursday through Saturday, some that are even worth watching. What's worth your time? Who will win--and why? Read on as we cover every show on American television in our weekly TV Guide.
Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (29-0-1, 16 KOs) vs. Thomas LaManna (21-1, 9 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 15th
Network: CBS Sports Network
Promoter: Peltz Boxing
Undercard bouts: Ray Edwards (12-0) vs. Dan Pasciolla (9-0)
Interest Level: Medium
What to make of this show? Dusty Hernandez-Harrison hopped on board with Roc Nation Sports early on as an exciting prospect. Now he's the guy who barely managed a draw against Mike Dallas Jr. While it's early to say he was exposed as mediocre, that's certainly a real possibility.
Thomas LaManna, believe it or not, is actually a reasonable test for Harrison. He has beaten a similar level of competition and Dusty may have some issues with his size. LaManna is a junior middleweight with two inches on him.
The undercard attraction of former NFL player Ray Edwards against a southpaw heavyweight "prospect" might be a fun slugfest or it might be 8 rounds of holding. Roll the dice with me and let's find out!
Main Event Prediction: Dusty Hernandez-Harrison by Unanimous Decision
Ishe Smith (28-8, 12 KOs) vs. Frank Galarza (17-1-2, 11 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 16th
Network: Bounce TV
Promoter: Mayweather Promotions
Undercard bouts: Domonique Dolton (17-0-1) vs. Justin DeLoach (15-1), J'Leon Love and Sharif Bogere may be swing bouts too
Interest Level: Medium/Low
Sugar Shay seems like a decent enough person. But he's 38, thoroughly washed and dreadfully dull. Why are we being punished like this?
Worse, he will probably win and extend his time as a headliner of cards like this. Frank Galarza was upset by Jarret Hurd on an episode of Shobox, and is very vulnerable. I don't know what to make of the winner, the fight, of anything at all.
The main support fight with Paul Williams protege Justin DeLoach and the solid Domonique Dolton is much more my speed, and something I actively want to view. There's a clear path forward for the winner there. Not so much in the main.
Main Event Prediction: Ishe Smith by Split Decision
Walter Sequeria (17-3, 12 KOs) vs. Ezequiel Maderna (23-3, 15 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 17th
Network: TyC Sports
Promoter: Argentina Boxing Promotions
Undercard bouts: Sebastian Papeschi (8-0) vs. Sergio Cordoba (7-7)
Interest Level: Low
Last time we saw either man, they were getting drubbed by amateur stars who had fewer than ten professional wins. This time, the Boxrec #1 light heavyweight and #1 super middleweight out of Argentina will square off with each other in a battle for the ages. What would Eva Peron think? The mind boggles.
Maderna seems a safe bet in this one, but the only thing that's certain is the winner will get to fight and lose outside Argentina again. High stakes!
Main Event Prediction: Ezequiel Maderna by 8th Round KO
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) vs. Liam Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs)
Key Info
Date: September 17th
Network: HBO PPV
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions
Undercard bouts: Gabriel Rosado (23-9) vs. Willie Monroe Jr. (20-2), Andrew Cancio (17-3-2) vs. Joseph "JoJo" Diaz (21-0), Diego De La Hoya (15-0) vs. Orlando Del Valle (22-2)
Interest Level: Medium
Saul Alvarez by KO.
Oh, the fight card? You wanted more information about it and the main event? OK.
Liam Smith isn't the best fighter in his family. He does, however, have a world title belt. He's never beaten anyone particularly good, isn't a phenomenal puncher, and isn't going to turn the fight into a track meet. He isn't a southpaw. He's gonna get totally abused by Canelo.
The worst case scenario for Canelo is that he is cut at some point or twists an ankle. If Smith proves to be reasonably durable, Alvarez could let this linger all the way to the final bell and grab a unanimous decision in a heatless affair. I'm going to hope for otherwise.
Last week, we saw a top 5 welterweight face the #1 middleweight in the world/the guy Canelo ducked and dropped his middleweight belt to. That was free. It cost nothing. But they want you to dig into your wallet and buy this? And their idea of an incentive is Diego De La Hoya and Gabriel Rosado? The only person on the undercard of this fight who has a prayer of winning a world title in the sport is JoJo Diaz, and even he is iffy.
This isn't pay-per-view quality--it's an Estrella TV cards with Saul Alvarez on top. Can you can tell I'm thrilled?
Main Event Prediction: Saul Alvarez by 8th Round KO