Callum Smith will now head straight into a huge summer showdown with light-heavyweight king Artur Beterbiev after injury ruled him out of next week’s card in Liverpool.
The 32-year-old was scheduled to fight Pawel Stepien at the M&S Bank Arena on 11 March but an injury suffered in training forced him to withdraw this week. The Liverpool fighter is facing up to eight weeks on the sidelines.
The show on Merseyside will go on with Diego Pacheco vs Jack Cullen and Robbie Davies Jr vs Darragh Foley now co-headlining.
For Smith, focus will now shift to reigning WBC, WBO and IBF champion Beterbiev, who defended his belts in London in January in a brutal war with Anthony Yarde to extend his fearsome unbeaten record to 19 wins, all coming via knockout.
Former super-middleweight champion Smith is the mandatory challenger for Beterbiev’s WBC belt and his promoter Eddie Hearn has now confirmed ‘Mundo’ will now look to head straight into that world title fight, expecting it to be called by the governing body very soon.
‘It is an injury that is unfortunately going to keep him out for seven or eight weeks,’ Hearn told Metro.co.uk.
‘It was disappointing. Calling it a tick-over fight is a bit harsh on his opponent but it was one for him to gear up for Beterbiev and now it looks like he will have to go straight into that Beterbiev fight.
‘He probably would have preferred one in the middle but it is what it is. It is disappointing he is off the card but we still have a great card lined up in Liverpool. Callum will rest up and go straight into that Betervbiev fight.’
It is part of an intriguing light-heavyweight picture that also includes WBA champion Dmitry Bivol.
The Russian is hoping to meet Beterbiev himself in an undisputed showdown before the year is out, with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez also eager to avenge his defeat after being outclassed by the 32-year-old last May.
Hearn hopes to secure a title shot for Joshua Buatsi before either of those fights take place with his fighter the no1 ranked fighter with the WBA.
Another option being explored is an all-London clash with Yarde. The east Londoner emerged from his defeat to Beterbiev with a huge amount of credit in the bank after his valiant efforts and has previously welcomed talk of a clash with Croydon’s Buatsi.
‘We tried to make Joshua Buatsi vs Dmitry Bivol previously which we couldn’t get over the line. But we are ready to make that fight if we can,’ Hearn said.
‘Bivol will have to go through another fight before he fights Beterbiev or before he fights Canelo Alvarez.
‘We would love him to fight Joshua Buasti but we would also love Joshua to fight Anthony Yarde. It is a tremendous fight for British boxing and I think either way, Josh will be in a big fight next.’
Eddie Hearn spoke alongside boxing partner Frank Smith on the latest episode of the Rockwater podcast. Listen here for the full podcast.
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