Long Island working-class hero Joe Smith Jr. will have his awaited first-time defense of his WBO lightweight world title against British knockout boxer Callum Johnson on Saturday. January 15 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY
Smith-Johnson started the Top Rated on the ESPN 2022 schedule with a battle between two of the division’s biggest boxers. Smith was supposed to defend his title on October 30 in New York City, but a COVID-19 diagnosis delayed his return to 2022.
In the 10 round featherweight tie feature, undefeated Abraham “El Super” Nova, who is from Albany, NY, will face the Mexican action star Jose Enrique Vivas. Smith-Johnson and Nova-Vivas to air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (airing on ESPN+) at 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rated, in conjunction with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Ads, ticket priced from $49 to $89 will go on sale Friday, December 3 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office, charged by phone by calling 800,771 .7711 or online at Ticketmaster.
“Joe Smith Jr always delivers, and he’s up against a tough customer at Callum Johnson. This is a can’t-miss main event to kick off our 2022 Top Rated by ESPN schedule,” said Top Ratings President Bob Arum. “Vivas is the ultimate test for a young, undefeated candidate like Nova. Like our main event, you will witness a terrifying battle.”
Smith (27-3, 21 KOs) beat the legendary Bernard Hopkins with a storybook knockout in 2015, but it took him nearly six years to win a world title. He failed on his first attempt against Dmitry Bivol in 2019, but in 2020 big hitting opportunities have surfaced. Smith beat Jesse Hart by more than 10 rounds in January and then knocked out former world champion Eleider Alvarez by rope in August. Nearly eight months after Alvarez’s win, he overcame Maxim Vlasov by majority decision to claim the vacant WBO world title. He became the fourth Long Island-born boxing world champion, along with Buddy McGirt, Chris Algieri and former WBO lightweight world champion Jamel Herring. After making a full recovery, Smith returned with the intention of training to establish himself as the preeminent 175-pound athlete in the world.
Smith said, “I am delighted to be back in the ring as quickly as possible to defend my WBO world championship post COVID. It’s not what fans or I expect, but it’s going to be an explosive fight between two giant boxers. I look forward to facing Johnson and defending my belt in front of the fans, as well as delivering a great performance for those watching at home. “
“Joe Smith Jr is always fun to watch, but this fight could put them on top. This is a ‘must-watch TV show’ and a perfect match to kick-start ESPN’s 2022 boxing season,” said Joe DeGuardia, President of Star Boxing. world before Callum Johnson. With two of the toughest fighters in boxing pitted against each other, it couldn’t be more explosive than this. Don’t miss this fight, and don’t blink your eyes!”
Johnson (20-1, 14 KOs) is a former British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion on a three-fight streak since a 2018 knockout loss to current WBC/IBF unified champion Artur Beterbiev. Johnson knocked out Beterbiev in the second round, but Beterbiev recovered and knocked Johnson out in the fourth round. Johnson, from Boston, England, shared the same bill with Smith at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in March 2019. Johnson knocked out Sean Monaghan in three rounds, while Smith lost to Bivol in a struggle. for the WBA lightweight belt.
Johnson said, “Joe is a good world champion, and we are both big boxers. I’m looking forward to it as much as I’m sure he will. I also want to thank Frank Warren and the team at Queensberry, who said they would bring me a world championship title. They’ve done their job, and now it’s time for me to do my duty in the ring and become the new WBO light heavyweight champion. ”
“I am delighted to offer this opportunity to Callum,” said Frank Warren, Hall of Fame Promoter. “When he came to us, he said he wanted to get active again and be a world champion. Callum now has the chance to make his dream come true, and if he fights like I know he can, there’s no reason why England shouldn’t be crowned a new world champion. on January 15th.”
Nova (20-0, 14 KOs), world-ranked in junior lightweight, currently campaigning in featherweight. In June 2020, he rejected Avery Sparrow by unanimous decision, but during training camp for his next fight, he tore his Achilles tendon. Nova had been out of action for more than a year and returned in August with an eight-round decision against Filipino veteran Richard Pumicpic. Vivas (21-1, 11 KOs) is a 27-year-old Mexican classic pressure boxer from Texcoco who has won four in a row since a decisive loss to Ruben Villa. In October 2020, it only took him 76 seconds to knock out John Vincent Moralde. He returned in May and rose from a pair of knockouts in the third round to overtake Louie Coria by unanimous decision.
