Via Brian Webber: Callum Smith will come out on top next month against undefeated light heavyweight challenger Pawel Stepien in a 12-round match against DAZN in the Matchroom Boxing promotion card on March 11 at Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
32-year-old former WBA super-middleweight champion Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) must win this bout to challenge IBF, WBC & WBO lightweight champion Artur Beterbiev in the summer.
Stepien of Poland (18-0-1, 12 KOs) is ranked #7 IBF, #13 WBA & #15 WBO in 175th place. Regarding opponents named on Stepien’s 8-year résumé, 32 years old , here are the only notable names : Dmitry Sukhotskiy & Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna.
For boxing fans who recently watched Artur Beterbiev and Anthony Yarde’s bout on January 28 at Wembley Arena in London, they saw Maderna put a stop to highly-rated lightweight opponent Karol. Itauma in the fifth round.
So the fact that Stepien beat Maderna by majority decision in the eighth round last March says a lot about his talent.
fans complain
Callum just needs to make sure he doesn’t have any blunders against Stepien so he can continue to fight for the title against Beterbiev in the summer.
Many boxing fans are grumbling about Callum’s selection of opponents, saying it’s yet another example of him having to face an unknown boxer since his rise to 175th in 2021. .
As for the record, Smith has fought twice since switching to light heavyweight three years ago, beating Lenin Castillo and Mathieu Bauderlique with the ability to quickly secure the WBC mandatory spot to claim a title. against 175-lb IBF/WBC/WBO champion Artur Beterbiev.
It doesn’t matter if the fans feel that Smith didn’t win the title against Beterbiev or not. What is past is past. Smith is the must-have WBC for Beterbiev, and he’ll get a title in the summer.
The only thing that you can say is that Callum’s preparation for the match against Beterbiev will not be ideal, and he will go a long way in class when he enters the ring with the undefeated champion.
You can’t blame Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as the WBC chose to sanction the Smith vs Bauderlique match as the title remover.
Supplementary Card:
- Liam Paro vs Robbie Davies Jr
- Diego Pacheco vs Jack Cullen
- Mickey Ellison vs Thomas Whittaker Hart
- Campbell Hatton vs TBA
- Johnny Fisher vs TBA
- Rhiannon Dixon vs Vicky Wilkinson
- Aquib Fiaz vs TBA
- Paddy Lacey vs TBA
The match between Smith and Stepien was packed, with Liam Paro against Robbie Davies Jr and Diego Pacheco against Jack Cullen.
Callum Smith prepares for shooting title
“This is a great card in Liverpool. I can’t wait,” said Eddie Hearn Boxing match. “Callum Smith, who is currently waiting for Artur Betterbiev. “Obviously, a great win for him [Beterbiev against Anthony Yarde]. Now he will join the month of Ramadan and we will be ready for the summer.
“WBC allows Callum Smith to fight Pawel Stepien. I believe Stepien is number 14 in the world, 7 in the world and 13 in the world. He’s world-ranked in every regulator and is very, very dangerous and also undefeated.
“For Callum Smith, it was about stepping out, looking good and unscathed in that fight in preparation for the monster war against Artur Beterbiev in the summer.
“For me, the two matches that I can’t wait on this card that I can’t wait are Liam Paro vs Robbie Davies Jr. Scream for Liam Paro. He’s lining up for the WBO title [light welterweight] world title against the winner of [Jack] Catterall vs Joshua Taylor.
“He [Paro] just took out Brock Jarvis in Brisbane. He went to Robbie Davis’s backyard. Robbie Davis had absolutely no chance to position himself for the world title, and he waited so patiently for the right match and the big game, and it came right in his lap. It’s going to be a great atmosphere that night Liam Paro vs Robbie Davis Jr.” Hearn said.
