Liam Smith won't have improved from Saul Alvarez defeat, says Gary Lockett

Gary Lockett has cast doubt on the prospect of Liam Smith emerging from his defeat by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez a better fighter.

Smith's return from his first defeat continues against Wales' Liam Williams, trained by Lockett, at the Manchester Arena on Saturday in an intriguing match-up for the interim WBO light-middleweight title.

Beyond four unremarkable rounds when he outpointed the little-known Marian Cazacu in Spain last month, he last fought in September when against Alvarez he suffered three knockdowns in the process of being stopped in nine.

It has since been argued that the 28-year-old's experience in sharing the ring with one of the world's leading fighters will have improved him, even if he has taken a risk in facing the promising Williams next.

However Lockett once fought at a similar level, also suffering a one-sided defeat in his last ever fight against Kelly Pavlik in 2008, and knows from experience that there is little an outclassed fighter can learn.

"We don't know what he's going to be like, because when you get beaten in that manner, when you get dropped three times and beaten in that manner, we don't really know how you're going to react," the 40-year-old told Press Association Sport.

"It depends on the person. In Liam Smith's case, even though he lost to the better man - and I don't think he could do a lot with Alvarez - he hung tough.

"He stayed in there, was in there for nine rounds, got dropped, got up, he showed balls of steel. So he could draw confidence from that.

"Knowing Liam Smith, he's a stubborn bully-type of fighter, he could be exactly the same.

"If it were me, it wouldn't instill confidence. I didn't learn anything from getting busted up.

"Definitely. (I'd doubt if Smith has learnt).

"It's very, very different circumstances. I fell out of love with boxing years before I retired. Did I really want to be there in the first place?

"I should have gone and done something else, but I kept winning, kept winning, and got my shot. I wouldn't have thought it would have affected me, but would I have learnt from it? I doubt it.

"His situation was different - he hung tough and showed what he was all about. With me, I was outclassed from the start."

Welshman Lockett, who out of Cardiff also trains Enzo Maccarinelli, Alex Hughes, Jay Harris, Chris Jenkins and Zack Davies, regardless admires Smith for agreeing to fight Williams, who beyond Alvarez represents his toughest challenge.

"You've got to respect him for taking Liam Williams, because everyone's excited about him," he added. "You've got to respect him for coming off a loss and taking that fight."