Saul Alvarez v Liam Smith: Your betting preview for the big fight

If last week’s stunning boxing action wasn’t enough for you, this weekend the AT&T Stadium in Arlington will play host to WBO light-middleweight holder Liam Smith and Saul Alvarez in one of the most hotly anticipated bouts of the year.

Alvarez has come under a lot of stick in recent months for stepping down a weight division to fight Smith, after many fans wanted to see the Mexican step into the ring with Gennady Golovkin.

Floyd Mayweather Snr recently compared the bout to being like ‘a twelfth-grader taking on a kindergarten kid’, before going on to say that he did not know who Liam Smith was.

However, the 6/1 Liverpudlian can certainly make a name for himself by beating Canelo.

But before they head into the ring, Ladbrokes News thought we’d assess each fighter’s past records in order to work out where this fight will be won or lost, starting with the challenger.

Saul Alvarez

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s record speaks for itself. Aged just 26, the Mexican has already tasted victory on 47 previous occasions, drawing one fight back in 2006 and losing only to Floyd Mayweather Jnr. after going the distance with Money.

And with a 67 per cent KO record, Canelo’s deadly punched has finished off a staggering 33 opponents in the past. Though Smith has never been KO’ed in his career, it’s just 1/2 for Alvarez to be the first man to do exactly that.

At 5’9” with a reach of 70 ½ “, the man from Guadalajara has been involved in 332 rounds in 49 bouts, averaging 6.8 rounds-per-bout, making the 9/1 on him to win in round seven a tempting bet.

Liam Smith

At 28, Smith is two years Alvarez’s senior, yet the Liverpudlian only has 24 professional bouts to his name. However, unlike his opponent, Smith has never lost.

A 54 per cent KO record is significantly less than Canelo’s, and that will be of concern to fans of the Brit in the build-up to the fight, but Beefy’s rounds-per-bout figure is much more impressive than that of Alvarez.

The 5’9 ½“ light-middleweight champion averages roughly 5.25 rounds, with just 11 of his fights going the distance.

Fancy Smith to win by KO? We’re offering odds of 8/1 for that outcome.

Plus, check out our Enhanced Specials below and click here to place your bets.

Alvarez to win in Rounds 5-8 – was 11/5 NOW 11/4

Fight to end within 7 Rounds – was 11/10 NOW 5/4

Alvarez to win after being knocked down – was 11/2 NOW 7/1

Fight to go the Distance – was 15/8 NOW 9/4

Smith to win by KO/TKO or DQ – was 8/1 NOW 10/1

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.