Former super-middleweight world champion, Callum Smith, believes that the postponement of his unified light-heavyweight world title attempt against Artur Beterbiev will ultimately work in his favour.
News had emerged that Beterbiev had been forced to withdraw from the contest with Smith, which had been due to take place on August 20th in Quebec City, Canada. However, Beterbiev had to undergo surgery to rectify an infection in his jaw and was advised by doctors that it was in his best interests to postpone his mandatory defence against Britain’s Smith.
A date or venue has yet to be given by promoters Top Rank as to when the contest will be re-arranged for. However, it is likely that the contest will still be hosted in Canada.
Speaking to Boxing News, Smith would like to be out sooner rather than later or could wait till Beterbiev is fit enough to face him if the delay is short. Coincidently, Smith has not fought since August last year when he defeated Mathieu Bauderlique to secure the mandatory WBC position.
“I’m in good shape, I’d like to put it to good use,” he told Boxing News.
“I was meant to fight in March; I pulled out a week before that. That was on me with my injury, but it’s still two camps back-to-back with potentially no fight at the end of it. It’s not ideal, but hopefully, we can come to some sort of agreement where I can get back active, or Beterbiev’s not too long, and the wait’s not too much longer to get back in there.”
Smith was questioned if he felt the break due to injury might work in his favour. However, Smith conceded that regardless of how long might-possibly be out of the ring for that, Beterbiev is still a difficult task and still the best light-heavyweight in the world.
“Possibly. They say everything happens for a reason. I was confident of going in there and beating him. I wasn’t going in there hoping he’d aged, and that was my only chance. I believed I could beat him regardless.
“It could be a bit different now, him going into the fight with potentially a year outside the ring at his age and me going into it with inactivity, so hopefully, the roles could switch, and it might put it a little bit back more in my favour.
But it’s a tough fight regardless. He’s the best in the world for a reason. But I’ve always felt I’ve got the beating of him.”
