SAUL Alvarez Canelo won the World Boxing Association (WBA) Best Boxer of the Year award for his victory over Callum Smith to confirm himself as the top pound-for-pound fighter today.

Boxing had a year of many setbacks but managed to move forward. The end of the year could not have been any more perfect, with the reappearance of Canelo on December 19th in a great performance against the previously unbeaten reigning champion.

The Mexican had gone through several contractual problems that cast some doubt on his return to the ring, however, he stayed in the gym until they were sorted out

. As soon as the situation was solved, Canelo was ready to fight for the Super Middleweight belts against Smith, the best in the division until that moment, and defeated him by unanimous decision at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Alvarez, 30, proved to be steady at 168 pounds, put up an aggressive fight, worked well with his waist motion and nullified any chance of the Liverpool native.

Canelo is now the owner of the WBA and WBC titles. He could only fight once in 2020 but it was the most important fight of the end of the year. He has announced that his plan for 2021 is to have three fights and face the best in the division.

 The public wants to see more of Canelo, who has proven to be the face of boxing. The WBA congratulates him for being the Boxer of the Year. (Fightnews)