Briton Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) – winner World Boxing Super Series and former world super middleweight champion. Lost his WBA Super title to Saul Alvarez of Mexico before moving to light heavyweight.
In August, in the WBC eliminator, Smith brilliantly knocked out the Frenchman Mathieu Boderlik. He is looking forward to the fight between unified world champion Canadian Russian Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs) and British slugger Anthony Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs) as he plans to fight the winner immediately.
Smith
shared forecast for this fight: “On paper, Beterbiev is a clear favorite. He is generally considered a beast who knocked out all his previous rivals. But he’s definitely not invincible. Even in profiring, he was at least twice on the floor. And he is already 38 years old. He’s not getting any younger. And sooner or later he will lose to someone. I wouldn’t even be surprised if it happens this month against Yard. Moreover, Anthony also has a very heavy blow.
According to Smith, “You should not write off the applicant from the accounts. Despite the fact that Beterbiev’s actions have not yet been affected by age. But this can happen at any moment. The champion looked good in unification with Joe Smith. Therefore, in any case, he is a favorite. At least I consider it a favorite. But I don’t think that in this fight everything is a foregone conclusion even before the starting gong, as some people do.”
Smith confirmed his intention to seek an immediate fight with the winner: “This right was guaranteed to me at the WBC convention. That is, even if the winner is aimed at unification with Dmitry Bivol, then first he will have to fight me. Moreover, all Russians have been suspended in the WBC – Bivol cannot fight for this belt anyway. Whatever the case, the winner of the Beterbiev vs Yarde fight will have to fight me first. And I believe that I can win. I believe I can beat anyone.”
Previously, promoter Eddie Hearn had named Smith as a potential rival for Bivol. And his colleague Top Rank Bob Arum is confident that Callum will not become an obstacle to unification: “We will work it out.”