ARTUR BETERBIEV will face British opposition for the second straight match.
Light-heavyweight champion returns on 19 August to face Liverpool’s Callum Smith at the Videotron Center in Québec City.
Smith is trying to become a two-weight champion, but to do so, he will have to defeat a man who is considered one of the most dangerous boxers on the planet.
Beterbiev competed 19 times and won each time when the opponent did not hear the final bell. Anthony Yarde is the latest to fall into the hands of a Russian-Canadian resident in January. Another win for the champ would give him a 3-0 win record over the Englishman who beat Callum Johnson in 2018.
“Québec is my second home, so I’m happy to finally defend my title at home,” said Beterbiev.
“When you’re a world champion, everyone wants a chance to claim your belt, and that’s especially true in my case, with three titles at stake. I have started my training camp and I will be ready to not only defend my belt but also put on an impressive performance on August 19.”
Callum Smith (Beautiful Images)
Smith 29-1 (21) has grown to 175 lbs after losing to Canelo Alvarez on points in 2020. Two of his new weight class fights were wins. However, the quality of Gilberto Castillo Rivera and Mathieu Bauderlique is not equal to Beterbiev. Each was impressively accomplished by Smith, and Liverpudlian was confident he could dethrone the king of light-heavyweight.
“I am very happy that I finally have the opportunity to be a world champion in two weight classes. I’m no stranger to playing away, having fought in the ring in Saudi Arabia twice, across the US and now heading to Canada on August 19. I have no hesitation in going to Canada to play against Artur Betterbiev, and I will return to Liverpool as world champions again.”
