Callum Smith – ‘I believe I can finish Artur Beterbiev’

None of Artur Beterbiev's 19 professional opponents cared to hear the final bell, but Callum Smith won't be focused on survival when he takes on boxing's most intimidating fighter on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET ). Instead, Smith is aiming for the knockout in a title fight that was rearranged after it was postponed in July.

Beterbiev has consistently delivered knockouts like a metronome, and although he turns 39 later this month, he produced arguably his best performances in his last two fights, victories over Joe Smith Jr. and Anthony Yarde. Many expect Beterbiev to defend his WBC, IBF and WBO light heavyweight world titles by knockout for the 20th consecutive time at the Videotron Center in Quebec, Canada, and open the possibility of an undisputed title fight against his Russian compatriot Dmitry Bivol (22 -0, 11 KO), the WBA champion.

But Beterbiev's reign faces a serious threat in Smith, a former super middleweight world champion who planned the light heavyweight king's downfall during training camps at his home in Liverpool, England. , and in Los Angeles, with famous trainer Buddy McGirt.

Smith (29-1, 21 KO), 33, is a big puncher himself and, after two stoppage victories at light heavyweight since losing to Canelo Alvarez at super middleweight in December 2020, believes he has the qualities to beat Beterbiev.

“He's a very good fighter, his record speaks for itself, but he's not invincible, he can get hit and hurt, we've seen that,” Smith told ESPN. “I believe he can be injured and he can be replaced. I know I can replace him and we have worked on that, I believe I can finish Artur Beterbiev.

“I don't look at him and think I can't beat him. I believe the best version of me can beat him and I believe the timing is right for me. We don't know if he's getting older yet, but I just know I’m with a big puncher and because of that he keeps me hornier.”

Smith also understands that one mistake against Beterbiev and his quest to become champion in a second weight class could be over.

“With an opponent of this level, like Beterbiev, it could be done in seconds – I know that. But it brings out my sharpness and gives me the fear factor to bring into training and keep attacking.”

Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs), based in Montreal but originally from Khasavyurt, Russia, gave his mandatory challenger reason to worry about how he performed in his last fight, stopping Yarde in eight exciting rounds in January. Beterbiev finished Yarde's spirited effort with a crunching right hand and was equally destructive in his second-round demolition of American Joe Smith in a title unification bout in June of the year last.

But a jaw infection suffered by Beterbiev required surgery and caused that fight to be postponed from August 20 until this weekend. Smith will have been out of the ring for 16 months after the first bell, and Beterbiev just under a year.

Smith's lack of activity doesn't concern him, even though he's only fought six rounds since his loss to Alvarez. Smith looked devastating in two non-title wins over Mathieu Bauderlique in September 2021 and Gilbert Rivera in August 2022.

“I wanted to be more active after fighting [Bauderlique] on the Anthony Joshua-Oleksandr Usyk show, but I had to wait for a meeting because of the schedule,” Smith told ESPN. “It wasn't ideal, and then I had to pull out of a fought in March with a minor injury.

“But I'm always in the gym, always training. I was very active in the first half of my career, I haven't been as active recently but I was out for 11 months before my last fight and it didn’t seem like “It’s important. If you have a good camp, it doesn't matter. I don't care too much about how long it's been since my last fight. “

Smith, who trained alongside his older brother Liam Smith, a former world junior middleweight champion, said he felt great with the added weight of 175 pounds.

“Intensify [in weight] was a combination of several things. My age and working with Buddy McGirt has made me a much happier fighter,” Smith said. “I'm hitting a lot harder and performing better than ever. I split my training between the Rotunda gym in Liverpool and Buddy's gym in California. I trained alongside people like [heavyweight] Dillian Whyte, [junior welterweight] Josh Taylor and my brother Liam. I love those kinds of environments, it brings out the best in you, you learn from it.”

Smith said boxing is a solo sport, but he added it feels good to work with other people and he enjoys his new team – it makes training a little easier, he said. he declares.

“Canelo was smart and you learn from fighting him. Then I made changes in my camp and developed the areas I needed,” Smith told ESPN. “When you are champion you don't look so much at your faults, but losing can make you think and that gave me more drive and more determination to get back to where I was.”

If Smith can pull off a win against Beterbiev, it will eclipse everything he has accomplished in his already successful career.