Now that a date has been confirmed for Artur Beterbiev’s latest defence of his unified light-heavyweight titles, some videos have emerged of the 38-year-old on the heavy bag in the gym. Former super-middleweight world champion Callum Smith is next in mid-August, and he’s “possibly the biggest challenge,” of the long-reigning titlist’s career according to his trainer Marc Ramsay.
Ramsay likens Smith to former world champion Gvozdyk
- “It is possibly the biggest challenge of his career, a guy similar to Oleksandr Gvozdyk – I see him a little more physical, with perhaps the same technical level, easily in the top two,” Ramsay told Montreal’s Jean-Charles Lajoie
- Gvodzyk (19-1, 15 KOs) has ended retirement with two victories (Josue Obando, UD6 and Ricards Bolotniks TKO6) already this year and made two WBC light-heavyweight title defences before losing TKO10 vs. Beterbiev
- Smith has fought twice at 175lbs since losing his WBA LHW strap against Canelo in Dec. 2020, withdrew from main event vs. Pawel Stepien in March with minor injury to better prepare for upcoming title bout
- “There is no slowdown in the gym. We do not see it in his metabolism and performance either, as long as it goes well like that, we will continue to move forward,” Ramsay maintains as Beterbiev (38y, 5m) continues to age
Artur Beterbiev (c) vs. Callum Smith for WBC, WBO, IBF light-heavyweight titles
August 19, live on Sky Sports in the UK and ESPN in US
Canada’s Videotron Centre, Quebec
When I spoke to Liam Smith last month, for something totally unrelated, his younger brother Callum came up in passing. How is he doing, after injury? Good: back in the gym, looking forward to news on the world title fight and a great one it should be.
It won’t be in Liverpool as they hoped, after Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn lost the purse bid by $15,000 to Top Rank – but the location won’t truly matter to him after experiencing the whirlwind of a Canelo fight week in San Antonio.
He’s fought abroad six times during a decade-long pro career, and countless others during his amateur days: India, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Turkey, you get the point.
On the topic of psychological advantages, Beterbiev’s head trainer Marc Ramsay believes this fight being in Canada gives the champion an edge.
“As Artur’s coach, you can understand all the advantages of doing the event here. There is the crowd support, but also all the logistical aspects. He is happy, but also conscious [of the moment], we’ve travelled a lot in recent years, he knows the complexity of boxing outside [of the country], going to perform and winning outside – he knows the advantage it can give us.”
Beterbiev, much like former amateur foe Oleksandr Usyk across two divisions, has relished venturing into enemy territory to seize world title belts or vanquish challengers. Smith has a tough task ahead, one Anthony Yarde couldn’t solve.
It’ll be interesting to see if his inactivity is a help or a hindrance, even when considering the two emphatic stoppage wins he sealed since moving up to 175lbs.
Lenin Castillo was unheralded, while Mathieu Bauderlique hadn’t fought elite competition since turning pro either. Can he build on Yarde’s showing, expose some chinks in the armour and produce a career-best win on away soil? He’ll certainly try.
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via BoxingScene.com
Mo and Sports 