Liverpool’s Callum Smith will problem Artur Beterbiev for the unified light-heavyweight world titles, live on Sky Sports within the UK on August 20.
WBC 175lb No 1 Smith will journey to Quebec City in Canada to fight Montreal resident Beterbiev for the WBC, IBF and WBO championships.
Beterbiev is likely one of the most formidable punchers in boxing with a 100 per cent knockout ratio. But Smith, beforehand the WBA super-middleweight titlist, is on a mission to turn out to be a two-weight world champion.
Artur Beterbiev stopped Joe Smith Jr in two brutal rounds to unify the WBC, IBF and WBO world titles at Madison Square Garden
“Quebec is my second home, so I’m very happy to finally defend my titles on home turf,” Beterbiev stated.
“When you are world champion, everyone wants the opportunity to take your belt, and that’s especially true in my case, with three titles at stake. I’ve already started my training camp, and I’ll be ready to not only defend my belts, but to also put on an impressive show August 19 [local time].”
But Smith warned: “I’m no stranger to preventing on away soil, having boxed in Saudi Arabia twice, throughout America, and now heading to Canada on August 19. There was no hesitation from me going to Canada to fight Artur Beterbiev, and I shall be returning to Liverpool as a world champion as soon as extra.
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“I’m excited to finally get my opportunity to become a two-weight world champion.”
Smith took over the super-middleweight division when he knocked out George Groves in 2018 to win the WBA championship and the World Boxing Super Series.
He beat John Ryder however misplaced his title in a unification conflict with Mexican celebrity Canelo Alvarez.
Smith subsequently stepped as much as light-heavyweight, successful his two fights within the new division with highly-impressive knockout finishes, most lately in opposition to Mathieu Bauderlique.
Beterbiev has stopped each single one among his opponents – watch him live on Sky Sports
Beterbiev, although, has stopped each skilled opponent he has confronted. The two-time Olympian and novice world champion has lived in Montreal since turning professional a decade in the past.
He has made seven world title defences since toppling Enrico Koelling for the vacant IBF title in November 2017, together with a shootout with Britain’s Callum Johnson, then a gym-mate of Smith’s.
Beterbiev picked up the WBC strap with a stirring 2019 knockout over Oleksandr Gvozdyk, then added the WBO title to his assortment with final 12 months’s second-round drubbing of Joe Smith Jr.
He has solely fought as soon as in Canada as a world champion, weathering a horrible lower to safe a ninth-round TKO over Marcus Browne in December 2021.
Beterbiev needed to negotiate a deep lower brought on by a conflict of heads however discovered an explosive end to cease Marcus Browne in spherical 9
Beterbiev adopted up the Joe Smith triumph with January’s thrilling eighth-round stoppage over Anthony Yarde within the latter’s house metropolis of London.
“The legend of the sport’s most fearsome puncher, Artur Beterbiev, continues August 19 in beautiful Quebec City for a fight that can’t help but be a light-heavyweight championship classic,” stated Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
But, he added: “Callum Smith is a deserving mandatory challenger who won’t be intimidated fighting on Artur’s home turf.”
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