Quotes from Liam Smith

I made my debut on October 10, 2008, so it'll be seven years to the day that I could become world champion. That's a massive night to be crowned.

I didn't become world champion to fight Jimmy Kelly.

I don't care who's in front of me; nobody is going to stop me from winning the world title.

I'm not just coming here for a payday. I'm not an old guy at the end of my career looking for a payday. I've got a title to keep.

Before British title fights, I've played football on a Saturday before; it's silly as it is.

He's fighting for the world title, so we're prepared for the best John Thompson.

Canelo's the big name, but I am the champion going in... I took this fight. I'm not in a situation where I have nothing to lose in this fight. I've got a title to lose.

I don't want to say 'grateful.' I don't want to sound like I'm just coming for the opportunity and to say I boxed in front of this many people at AT&T Stadium. I'm coming there to win and bring the title back home.

I'm a humble guy, I'm pretty down to earth.

Once I will arrive in the ring, I'm going to make the most of this fight because this fight I will remember for the rest of my life. From my point of view, this night is going to be remembered by the British people. Not from the American people as much, but from the British fans here who will watch me beat Canelo Alvarez.

We used tea towels for gloves until we got proper ones and were always breaking our mum's ornaments. She'd come home and find us all sat in our boxer shorts, out of breath and our skin red raw. She hated it.

The ones doing that, counting me out, are going to look silly.

I'm confident a good Liam Smith beats a good John Thompson.

Without being disrespectful to Jimmy Kelly, I'd rather fight Shane Mosley than Jimmy Kelly.

I'm getting criticism on social media, saying, 'Ah, you ducked Shane Mosley.' I've never ducked anyone in my life. They need to look into it a bit more.

It's always Canelo, and it's Mexican Independence Day, so I know that. But I am the champion, and just looking back on that, that is one reason why I hope they'll respect that I'm champion and be fair.

I don't need any more motivation. I'm fighting Canelo Alvarez. If that can't get me motivated, then I'm in the wrong sport.

I remember when Joe Calzaghe fought Jeff Lacy, and there was all this hype about Lacy being some sort of unbeatable force, and Joe absolutely hammered him.

My mum will never let me be anything but grounded.

If you ask anyone who my mum's blue-eyed boy is, they will say it is me.

My mum says part of the reason we moved house, it was a rough area at the time, was down to that - they wanted to help me.

I'm still a mummy's boy!

From my point of view, I am the underdog going into this fight. I'm not saying I'm not. But I'm the underdog because I haven't fought at that level yet against anyone of Canelo's level.

I've been in the States and fought before. When I'm in that changing room, I'll feel as if I've been in that situation before. Obviously I'm going to have to deal on the biggest stage, and it's the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, but it doesn't faze me.