Beterbiev vs. Smith Preview
The WBC, WBO, and IBF light heavyweight titles will be on the line Saturday, January 13 in Quebec City, Canada. Undefeated powerhouse Artur Beterbiev will defend his belts against former super middleweight champion Callum Smith.
Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KO) is coming off an eight round TKO of Anthony Yarde a year ago to retain all three titles for the first time. The Russian fighter has left no questions to be asked in his last seven fights as he has dominated his competition.
What started as a traditional title fight has now become ugly due to controversy. Beterbiev has accused Smith’s team for leaking misinformation as it pertains to the drug testing for this fight.
“It has come to my attention that Callum intends to disseminate misleading information about my VADA testing program for this fight," Beterbiev said, "Let me be clear now: I am a clean athlete,” said Beterbiev.
"I have never tested positive for a banned substance throughout my amateur and professional career and I complied with all VADA requirements and protocols during the build-up to this fight.
"Any attempt to imply otherwise, through innuendo or suggestion is slanderous and libellous.
"This conduct is beyond acceptable trash talk in combat sports. Callum is already searching for excuses, looking for a way out. See you Saturday.”
This was all in result to an “atypical finding” in a test for Beterbiev in December. However, all tests following came back negative.
The challenger responded,
'It's not a passed test, it's not a failed test,' said Smith. 'The fight's still happening, that's the main thing. I'm not a scientist, I'm a fighter.
'I'm here to beat him, take his belts, and go back home.’
Aside from Yarde, Beterbiev has key KO wins over Joe Smith Jr, Marcus Browne, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, and Callum Johnson. A win over Smith will set the 38-year-old up for a unifying battle with WBA super and IBO light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.
Smith (29-1, 21 KO) has won two straight fights since losing a title fight to Canelo Alvarez in 2020. The 33-year-old English fighter is confident facing a fighter who has brutalized his opponents.
"He's a very good fighter, his record speaks for itself, but he's not invincible, he can be hit and he can be hurt, we've seen that," Smith said. "I believe he can be hurt and he can be put over. I know I can put him over and we have worked on that, I believe I can finish Artur Beterbiev.
"I don't watch him thinking I can't beat him. I believe the best version of me can beat him and I believe the timing is right on my side. We don't know if he's aging yet, but I just know that I'm in with a big puncher and because of that he keeps me more switched on.”
Despite the confidence, Smith is aware that he must fight his best fight or he could be like the rest of the fighters who have been on the receiving end of Beterbiev ko’s . "With this level of opponent, like Beterbiev, it could be done in seconds -- I know that. But it brings out the sharpness in me and gives me the fear factor to put into training and keep pushing.”
It took a loss for Smith to realize the changes he needed to make in training. "Canelo was clever and you do learn from fighting him. Afterwards I made changes in my camp and developed areas that I needed to," Smith said. "When you are champion you don't look at your faults so much, but losing can make you reflect and it has given me more drive and more determination to get back to where I was.”
Also featured on the card is a fight for the WBO bantamweight title. Champion Jason Moloney will defend his belt against Saul Sanchez.
Moloney (26-2, 19 KO) won the belt in his last fight by majority decision over Vincent Astrolabio in May. The victory was his fifth straight since being ko’d in a title fight by Naoya Inoue in 2020. The 33-year-old is looking to solidify his place among elite bantamweight champions.
Sanchez (20-2, 12 KO) has won two straight since losing a split decision to Eros Correa in 2022. The 26-year-old Los Angles native will be fighting for his first major title.
