Artur Beterbiev currently holds the IBF, WBO and WBC light-heavyweight titles; Callum Smith will travel to Canada to challenge him; You can watch the fight between Callum Smith and Artur Beterbiev on August 19, live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 31 May 2023 11:19, UK
Callum Smith believes he has the power to knock out unified light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev.
The Liverpudlian will travel to Beterbiev's adopted hometown of Quebec City to challenge him for his IBF, WBO and WBC light-heavyweight titles on August 19, live on Sky Sports.
Beterbiev has won all of his 19 fights by knockout but Smith, the former WBA super-middleweight, believes he can stop the undefeated champion.
"I believe I knock him out. I'm confident in my own power," Smith told Sky Sports.
"That doesn't mean I think it's an easy fight. I think it's a very tough fight whilst it lasts but I just think he has been hurt and if I see other people hurt him then I definitely believe I can too.
"I'm very meticulous in what I do, and I'll be prepared for the toughest 12-rounds of my career, whether we need them or not, we'll have to wait and see but the goal is to go over there, beat him, take his three belts and return home.
"I've become a world champion but I want to be a two-weight world champion. I think as a fighter you always want more, and I worked hard to get into this position. I've finally got my chance to achieve my dream and it's a fight I'm excited about and a chance I plan on taking."
Since suffering his only career defeat to current undisputed 168-pound champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in 2020, Smith has won two fights in the 175-pound division, with the most recent coming in the form of a stoppage victory over Mathieu Bauderlique last August.
Beterbiev was last in action in January when he stopped Brit Anthony Yarde in eight rounds in a fight-of-the-year contest.
But Smith feels his boxing IQ will see him become the new unified champion in Canada. He said: "I think I have got a bit more about my game. I think you've got to be a little smarter, I think I've got a good boxing brain, good attributes and I think you've got to use them to your full potential.
"At the highest level, the smallest mistake can lose you the fight, so I've got to be switched on. I've got a few weeks to drill in those repetitions and make sure I've got the right game plan, but I'm very confident in my own abilities."
Smith added: "I believe on my day, when I'm at my best, I can beat anyone in the world and I do believe I'm at my best at the moment."
New WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith told Sky Sports that his points win over Lawrence Okolie in Bournemouth on Saturday night went how he envisioned, saying he was confident his power would prove pivotal.
Okolie could not find his rhythm throughout the bout as he suffered the first defeat of his professional career and lost the title he had held since stopping Krzysztof Głowacki in March 2021.
Billam-Smith, who knocked Okolie down three times, said: "The fight went similar to how I expected. I knew I would find that shot and hurt him. I said I would shock him with my power throughout and he did well to last as I knew he was hurt.
"The game-plan was spot-on from [trainer] Shane [McGuigan]. There were some tough moments, for sure. We know what Lawrence brings - he is very awkward, he carries power. I know him well, he is a proper fighter.
"I believed in myself - my durability but also my ability to carry out the game-plan and unleash my own power on him and that's what happened. It was a good night."
