Former WBO super welterweight champion Liam Smith will travel to Russia for his next fight.
The Liverpudlian (29-2-1, 16 KOs) will face the unbeaten ‘Black Lion’ Magomed Kurbanov (21-0, 13 KOs) for the WBO International super welterweight title on May 8. The same date that Billy Joe Saunders takes on Canelo Alvarez for three of the four middleweight titles.
Smith has been out of action since fighting in Phoenix on December 20, 2019 when he defeated Roberto Garcia on points over ten rounds. That was one of three wins that year which began with victories over Sam Eggington (TKO5) and Mario Alberto Lozano (UD10) respectively.
‘Beefy’ has been in the news lately with rumours that he had left long-time trainer Joe Gallagher for Manny Robles. However, both parties have denied the reports.
This will be the sixth time that the 32-year-old has hit the road for a fight with his overseas record standing at won three and lost two with the defeats coming to Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia.
By contrast Kubranov, 25, has fought all of his 21 contests in his homeland picking up 13 wins inside the distance. In 2019 Kurbanov beat Diego Chaves on points to claim the WBO strap which he will be defending against Smith.
The Kurbanov-Smith has a world title eliminator feel to it with Smith sitting at two in the WBO’s rankings while Kurbanov is three places beneath him at five. Boxing Social reached out to Smith and his promoter Eddie Hearn, but both were unavailable for comment at this time.