Showdown: Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith combat in Canada on Saturday evening
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Callum Smith has the prospect to turn into a unified light-heavyweight world champion as he takes on Artur Beterbiev in a hugely-anticipated bout in Canada on Saturday evening.
The Liverpudlian was WBA champion at super-middleweight till he misplaced that belt when crushed on factors by Canelo Alvarez in December 2020, with Smith then making the choice to maneuver as much as 175lbs.
He has fought simply twice in three years since that defeat to Canelo, choosing up routine stoppage wins over Lenin Castillo and Mathieu Bauderlique, and he now faces a giant step up in opposition to the unbeaten Beterbiev, one of the crucial feared punchers in boxing.
The 38-year-old is 19-0 as knowledgeable, with all these wins coming inside the gap, and he was final in motion a 12 months in the past when beating Anthony Yarde in London to defend his WBC, IBF, and WBO straps.
Yarde did trigger him issues although, earlier than his nook threw within the towel within the eighth spherical, whereas fellow Briton Callum Johnson dropped Beterbiev throughout an action-packed 4 rounds in 2018.
This combat was scheduled to happen in August final 12 months, nevertheless it was pushed again after Beterbiev underwent surgical procedure to deal with a bone an infection in his jaw.
Smith’s solely defeat has come to Canelo and his staff are assured they will stun an ageing Beterbiev, with the winner of this combat doubtlessly then transferring on to an undisputed showdown with Dmitry Bivol.
Artur Beterbiev beat Anthony Yarde in an exhilarating combat final 12 months
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Beterbiev vs Smith date, begin time, venue and ring walks
Beterbiev vs Smith takes place on Saturday January 13, 2024 on the Videotron Centre in Quebec Metropolis, Canada.
The undercard is predicted to get underway at roughly 12am GMT, with the ring walks for the primary occasion pencilled in for round 4am on Sunday morning.
As ever, these timings are all approximate and topic to alter.
Beterbiev vs Smith combat card/undercard in full
Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith
Jason Moloney vs Saul Sanchez
Christian Mbilli vs Rohan Murdock
Imam Khataev vs Rodolfo Gomez Jr
Christopher Guerrero vs Sergio Garcia Herrera
Mehmet Unal vs Dragan Lepei
Leila Beaudoin vs Elizabeth Chavez Espinoza
Moreno Fendero vs Victor Hugo Flores
Wilkens Mathieu vs Jose Arias Alvarez
watch Beterbiev vs Smith
TV channel: Within the UK, the cardboard can be televised reside on Sky Sports activities Important Occasion and Area, with protection starting at 1am GMT within the early hours of Sunday morning.
Dwell stream: Subscribers may also catch the motion reside on-line by way of the Sky Go app.
Beterbiev vs Smith combat prediction
Smith all the time appeared tight at 168lbs and the transfer as much as light-heavyweight seems to be a superb one for him, although this can be a world away from his earlier two fights on the weight.
There are questions for Beterbiev to reply although – he was severely examined by Yarde and it has inevitably been steered that he’s slowing down. He turns 39 later this month and has loads of miles on the clock, with greater than 300 fights to his identify if you happen to embrace his newbie profession.
Beterbiev is definitely not defensively flawless both and he’ll go away himself open to be hit, as Yarde and Johnson have proven, so it’s no shock that Smith and his staff consider they may get alternatives to harm the champion.
Smith has the scale and attain benefit, and might want to set up his jab early to cease Beterbiev marching ahead. He could be up on the playing cards if he can prolong the combat past the midway level, however Beterbiev’s stress will certainly inform in some unspecified time in the future.
Smith is extremely powerful and is able to hurting his man and threatening an upset, however combating Beterbiev is an exhausting process, with no fighter but capable of remedy the puzzle.
We’re going for the champion to ultimately overwhelm Smith after some furry moments, discovering one other stoppage because the bout strikes into the late rounds.
Beterbiev by stoppage, spherical 9.
This can be a big step up for Callum Smith at light-heavyweight
Motion Photos by way of Reuters
Beterbiev vs Smith weigh-in outcomes
The fighters took to the scales on Friday, with each making the burden. Smith got here in at 174.6lbs, with Beterbiev bang on the 175lbs restrict.
Beterbiev vs Smith betting odds
Beterbiev to win by resolution/technical resolution: 11/2
Beterbiev to win by KO, TKO or DQ: 4/9
Smith to win by resolution/technical resolution: 9/1
Smith to win by KO, TKO or DQ: 6/1
Odds by way of Betfair (topic to alter).