Former super-middleweight world champion Callum Smith has his sights set on becoming Liverpool’s first two-weight world champion.
Smith made his light-heavyweight debut last September against WBA title challenger Lenin Castillo, who at that point had never been stopped. In the second round, the Brit caught the Dominican with a big right hand which sent his body into shock and he had to be taken to hospital. Smith couldn’t celebrate his victory as he was concerned for his opponent.
That fight took place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the undercard of the first Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk fight and Smith will feature again ahead of their rematch later this month. His opponent is European champion Mathieu Bauderlique in what is a world title eliminator.
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Speaking to the Lightweight Boxing Show, the Liverpudlian revealed what he aims to achieve in the ring before he calls time on his career.
“The plan’s always been to get in, get out before other people say I should get out, that sort of thing," he says. "My main goal is [to] retire at the top and if I can win another world title, which I believe I can - I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t."
The 32-year-old knows that Bauderlique is going to be a tough test but he is already thinking about the challenge of facing the current world champion of the division, Artur Beterbiev.
“I’d like to do that [become world champion] to be honest with you. And if I was to beat Bauderlique, fight Beterbiev, beat him, I’d get three belts and I’d have all five - I’ve got the other two at home.”
Smith has only suffered one defeat in his whole professional career and that came against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, losing by unanimous decision. And that single defeat is like an itch that Smith would like to scratch at some point.
“If I could get the Canelo rematch in time, correct that only loss, then maybe. But I don’t think he stays at 175, I think he goes. It’s all hypothetical and a dream but I’d love to become world champion and retire as champion.
“I had my chance, I’m not going to call him out, but if I was to become a world champion at two weights the only thing that would motivate me is to try and correct the only loss on my record.”
You can catch the full interview on the Lightweight Boxing Show on YouTube from 5pm on Friday.
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