Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith Could Be Heading To Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium In The Summer
Promoter Eddie Hearn told Boxing Social today that he wants to stage a fight between the former world super middleweight champion, Liverpool’s Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) and unified light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) at the 53,000-capacity Anfield Stadium in Smith’s hometown in the summer of 2023.
‘Mundo’ Smith is the WBC’s mandatory challenger at a 175-pounds and is guaranteed the winner of Artur Beterbiev vs Anthony Yarde, which takes place on Jan 28 in Wembley, with no exceptions. Promoter Bob Arum has also confirmed that the plan is for Beterbiev to face Smith after Yarde and not look for an immediate unification.
Eddie Hearn “I’d love to do that (Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith) at Anfield in the summer. I think that would be incredible”
Beterbiev is with Bob Arum’s Top Rank so a fight between the pair will not be easy to stage at Anfield. Although Beterbiev is coming to the UK for Yarde, Arum/TR are more cooperative with Frank Warren’s Queensberry than Hearn/Matchroom which makes it easier for them to secure home advantage for Yarde.
In the case of Beterbiev vs Callum Smith, Hearn may have to win a purse bid to take the fight to Anfield and to stage it on DAZN at all. Beterbiev/Arum may want to place that fight in the United States and with a 70-30 split in favour of the Canadian-Russian at purse bids, it will be easier for them to do so.
Before that, Smith will have a fight on March 11 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool to stay active before facing the Beterbiev-Yarde winner. Hearn stated that he would love to make a fight between Mundo and Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur and that several offers had now been made to Wasserman, Arthur’s promoters, for that fight.
Callum Smith also told IFL TV last week that he is open to considering an offer to fight unbeaten domestic rival Joshua Buatsi (16-0, 13 KOs) next. “I want a fight (before the Beterbiev Yarde winner). If his team wants to make me an offer, it’s an offer I’ll consider. I haven’t had any offers. I want to fight in March and then roll into the world title.”
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