A Commonwealth Games silver medalist as an amateur, Callum Smith has had a more than impressive career in the unpaid ranks and the paid ranks of the sport.
Since he turned professional in late 2012, he's amassed 27 victories from his 27 bouts to date with an impressive 19 coming by stoppage. Smith has picked up the English, British and European Super Middleweight titles in the process before entering the World Boxing Super Series in 2017.
Wins over Erik Skoglund and late replacement Nieky Holzken saw Smith earn a shot at the WBA and Ring Super Middleweight World titles against fellow Brit George Groves in the final of the tournament. Then, in a career-best performance, he blasted the highly rated Groves away in just seven rounds which then saw him become the number one ranked fighter at 168lbs in the world. A showreel stoppage win over Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam followed, before a close points defeat of John Ryder at the back end of last year.
And now it's time for the big question that boxing fans need answering: how does Smith beat Canelo?
Honestly, it's rather simple. Smith is by far the much bigger man in the fight. He's got an eight-inch reach advantage over the Mexican and if Canelo has shown somewhat of a weakness in his recent performances, it's his ability to deal with a bigger man with a solid jab, something which Smith prides himself on.
In his fight against light heavyweight champion, Kovalev, last year, the Russian found a home for his jab and more than held his own for 10 rounds with the cards very close before fatigue got the better of him. That was an old Kovalev, however, who was in his second fight in eight weeks; this is a fresh and youthful Smith who's currently at the top of his game.
In fact, Kovalev only had a two-inch reach advantage over Canelo that night and with Smith having four times that, his jab is going to be crucial so if he can have success with that early on by snapping it more, making it harder for Canelo to slip inside.
Smith showed minor vulnerabilities to the body against Ryder but that was nowhere the best Smith. As mentioned, it's likely Canelo will target the body but with Smith's huge arms, his body defence is actually very underrated; he tucks elbows in well and despite them hurting, it hurts a lot less than taking shots onto the ribs.
Catching Canelo's relentless body attacks on the elbows will create opportunities to chop short counter left and right hands to Canelo's head and body and if anyone can hurt the Mexican, it's Smith.