WBA super middleweight champion Callum ‘Mundo’ Smith 27-0 (19) believes he would be a bad style matchup for world middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 53-1-2 (36) but says he won’t be waiting around for a shot at the Mexican superstar.
Alvarez, 29, has been linked with both Smith and WBO 168-pound champion Billy Joe Saunders 29-0 (14) for his next fight.
“Everyone puts it down to me and Billy Joe Saunders for his [Canelo] next opponent,” said Smith to Boxing Social. “That’s the word on social media. In the last couple of weeks, he seems to be leaning more towards Saunders. I’m not going to sit around and waste my career for a fight that never ever happens.
“This is a fight that I would jump up for, but I’m not going to put all my eggs in one basket. I’d be more surprised if I do get it, than if I don’t. If I get it, so be it, and if I don’t, there’s a lot of other big fights out there for me in 2020. It would be a huge fight, but deep down, I never believed I’d get it.
“Stylistically, I’m not the best fight for him, and why would you pick me when you can fight anyone else in the world to fight and still get paid massive money for it.
“I always felt I’d get the fight if the demand was massive or if I was to go get another belt at super middle.
The 29-year-old Smith was last in action in November when he had a harder than expected fight against John Ryder, winning by unanimous decision.
If a fight with Alvarez can’t be made, Smith says he would like to fight Saunders.
“I don’t think that makes sense at the minute,” Smith continued. “We’ll wait and see. I’m not completely out of the picture, but realistically if you were to ask if my next fight is against Canelo Alvarez, I don’t think it will be.
“I’d be frustrated in that if I don’t get Canelo, my next option would be Billy Joe Saunders. That takes away two fights for me. If I can’t get the Canelo fight, then hopefully Billy Joe gets it. He’s a fellow Brit. I think he’s got a good chance of causing Canelo problems.”