Canelo Alvarez vs. Liam Smith Results, Round-by-Round Scoring & Play-by-Play

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Liam Smith

Round 1

Luis Pabon is the referee for this WBO junior middleweight championship. As expected, the vast majority of the crowd is berserk for “Canelo.” They meet in the center of the ring and trade jabs. Alvarez backs Smith up and then fires off a left hook, but the Brit blocks it. Smith takes another step back and swallows a right, but he’s okay. Canelo tosses out two jabs before digging a left hook to the body behind a left uppercut on the inside. Smith throws a left hook upstairs but it finds only gloves. Canelo rattles off a smooth combo of jabs to the body and head. “Beefy” looks a little gun shy as he flicks his jab out. Canelo digs a series of rights to the body, making Smith to grin at him. It’s all Canelo in the first. 10-9 Alvarez

Round 2

Alvarez picks up where he left off, jabbing to the head and body. Smith absorbs a nice right to the ribs and then a left up top. Beefy cracks Canelo with a counter overhand right but the Mexican shakes it off. They trade jabs in the center of the ring at the midway point until Canelo digs another left hook to the body. Hard right to the ribcage from Canelo and Smith is starting to redden under his elbow. There appears to be a little cut on the outside corner of Canelo’s left eye from a right hand. Smith moves forward but he continues to eat jabs and rights to the body. It’s a closer round but Canelo still gets it. 10-9 Alvarez

Round 3

Smith storms out of his corner and pops Canelo with a left-right to the head. The Brit is much more aggressive now, digging punches upstairs and down on the inside. Canelo slams another right to the intestines, which backs Smith up. A nice left-right to the head from Alvarez as Smith backs into the ropes, but Liam doesn’t stay there long. Alvarez counters a lead right with a right to the body, followed by a right uppercut through the gloves. A right to the head freezes the Liverpool fighter, who backs into the ropes. Canelo unloads a small barrage of punches and while Smith covers up, he’s feeling the power. They trade some serious leather in the center of the ring with 20 seconds left, each tagging the other cleanly. 10-9 Alvarez

Round 4

Alvarez opens the frame with a series of stiff left jabs with a few thudding rights to the body mixed in. Hard counter left hook to the bread basket by Canelo, who is warned by Pabon for a low blow. Smith shakes it off and continues, though he is fed a few more jabs for his effort. Smith takes another series of jabs and ties Canelo up at the midway point. Beefy tags his foe a with a pair of sharp rights upstairs, but the Mexican simply brushes them off. Canelo creates space and fires off two more nasty rights to the gut, which backs Liam off late. 10-9 Alvarez

Round 5

Smith comes out firing early. The Brit connects with a flurry to the head and body, but none of his shots seem to bother Canelo whatsoever. Canelo backs into the red corner, allowing Smith to open up again, but the Mexican doesn’t allow anything clean to land. A nice combo to the head and body by Smith, punctuated by a glancing right to the head. Alvarez comes back and slams a right hook to the body. Beefy backs Canelo into the ropes and gets off a nice flurry, capped by a hard right to the noggin, but Smith is cut badly around his right eye. 10-9 Smith

Round 6

Canelo walks out of his corner and rips off a trio of jabs to the head. Smith answers with a three-punch combo, though they are all blocked. A hard left uppercut on the inside from Smith, coupled with a right to the dome, but Alvarez walks through them easily. Beefy tears into Canelo, who is covering up against the ropes, but he eats a counter right to the head. Canelo isn’t throwing many punches with a minute left, allowing Smith to stay busy. Liam’s right eye is bleeding quite a bit late, but he continues to throw. It’s a close round but the Brit gets it. 10-9 Smith

Round 7

Canelo fires off a three-punch combo to the head, which backs Smith up. Smith opens up with Alvarez against the ropes, but nothing lands. Canelo retaliates with a clean overhand right and down goes Smith. He’s up at eight but he’s shaken. Smith tries to stand in the pocket but he’s in trouble. A left hook to the face by the Mexican superstar, which forces Beefy to tie him up. Smith is bleeding badly again with a minute left. Canelo is taking his time before cracking him with a telegraphed left hook upstairs. Smith rallies late but he swallows a pair of right uppercuts before tagging Saul with a left hook at the bell. 10-8 Alvarez

Round 8

Smith misses a left and right to the head, which allows him to get countered by a lead right to the mug. A flurry to the head and body shakes Beefy a minute in. Canelo is patient, though he’s giving Smith a beating. Smith is continuing to try and reverse his fortunes as he’s aggressive, but nothing connects cleanly. A pair of stiff jabs to the body and then head back Smith up. A pair of right uppercuts hurt Smith and then he’s dropped by a vicious left hook to the liver. Surprisingly he gets back to his feet and is able to survive the round. 10-8 Alvarez

Round 9

Canelo is ripping Smith to shreds with wicked hooks to the body on both sides. Beefy grimaces as each one lands but he is tough and continues to try to win. Canelo is taking his time, picking his shots upstairs and down. Liam absorbs a few more nasty left hooks to his intestines but he still comes right at Canelo. A huge left hook off the ropes explodes on Smith’s liver, dropping him for good. He is not getting up any time soon and Pabon waives it off.

The Official Result

Saul Alvarez def. Liam Smith via KO (Left Hook to Body) R9, 2:28