Callum Smith would be happy to face the winner of Joshua Buatsi against Craig Richards if a world title option was not available.
The former super-middleweight world champion is in New York this week supporting his brother Liam as he prepares to face Jessie Vargas. Callum has been out of the ring since September last year when he brutally stopped Lenin Castillo on the Oleksandr Usyk-Anthony Joshua undercard. And Smith’s promoter Eddie Hearn is hoping to land the light-heavyweight a spot on their rematch this summer.
“I want to be the best. I want to be a world champion [and] as we step up in opposition [it] will help me improve as a fighter. You learn more in your fights as well as the gym,” Smith told Boxing Social’s Andi Purewal.
“Whoever they put in front of me as long as the win puts me one step closer to where I want to be I’ll do that.”
Smith’s ambition of becoming a two-weight world champion may take longer than expected with the titles at 175 currently tied up. Dmitry Bivol defends his WBA title next weekend against Canelo Alvarez while the remaining three championships look set to be contested by the remaining two champions Artur Beterbiev (WBC, IBF) and Joe Smith Jr (WBO) in the summer.
Two of Smith’s British rivals Joshua Buatsi and Craig Richards fight one another on May 21. So, would the 32-year-old be interested in facing the winner?
“I’ll be open to fight anyone,” he said. “I believe I’m the best in Britain and I believe I can become the best in the world. I want to become world champion. If for whatever reason, I knew for sure a world title fight wasn’t gonna come anytime soon then of course I’d fight whoever the next best available opponent was. If you say it’s this fight or a potential world title fight, then I’d go where the belt is but if I know for sure the belt isn’t gonna come then of course I’d be open to fighting anyone.”
Smith then gave his Buatsi-Richards prediction.
“A good fight. Richards is definitely the best person Buatsi’s fought. I think Buatsi beats him, but he may not get it his own way, but I definitely think Buatsi comes out on top.”
Click here to watch the interview in full.