Callum Smith is challenging one of the most feared punchers in world boxing when he fights Artur Beterbiev this weekend.
Beterbiev is the unified WBC, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight champion. No professional opponent has gone the distance with him, giving him a 100 per cent knockout ratio.
But the Liverpudlian is adamant he can beat Beterbiev when they fight at the Videotron Center in Quebec, live on Sky Sports Arena from 1am on Sunday.
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Artur Beterbiev holds a perfect KO record and pound for pound has the heaviest hands in professional boxing.
“I definitely do believe I will prove all the doubters wrong,” Smith told Sky Sports.
“I know how good I am, I know how good I can be. Sometimes you don’t really get the opportunity to show that.
“This time I’ve got the best fight possible for me in this division and if I win I become a two-weight world champion, three world titles.
“That’s been the biggest motivation for me these last few camps and I’m very, very close to achieving it.”
Smith maintains that he can handle Beterbiev’s power, and that he will be the one to hurt the champion.
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Callum Smith tells the Toe2Toe podcast his upcoming fight against Artur Beterbiev is the biggest fight possible for him right now.
“I think you’ve just got to be smart,” the Briton said.
“He’s a big puncher but nothing in my career so far shows that my chin’s a bit suspect or anything like that. Touch wood, I’ve never been hit or hurt or dropped as a professional. I’ve always been very confident defensively. I believe I’m pretty tidy and I can stay quite tight. I know the dangers.
“You can’t afford to take any silly shots,” he continued. “That’s the difference between a good fighter and a great fighter. It’s not how hard you can punch or how fast you are. It’s knowing when to punch, when not to punch, the mistakes you make – limiting them down.
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“When you’re fighting a big puncher it keeps you mentally that little bit switched on, knowing you can’t afford any mistakes at all.”
He is adamant that he can knock Beterbiev out.
“I believe I’m a better smarter fighter. I know how good he is. I know his achievements speak for themselves. I respect him as a fighter,” Smith said before adding: “Stylistically I can hit hard, I know when to punch, I’ve got good punch variation.
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Liverpool’s Callum Smith will challenge Artur Beterbiev for the unified light-heavyweight world titles, live on Sky Sports. Top Rank Boxing president Todd DuBoef expects a knockout in the fight but can’t predict who wins.
“I know if I land right and if I land clean I know it’ll have an effect on him. You’ve got to have that mentality as a fighter.
“I just think I catch him before he catches me and I can get rid of him. I genuinely do believe I’ve got the style to beat him. It’s no easy feat and I know I’m the underdog going in.”
But Smith believes he will thrive as an underdog. “It gives you a bit more of a point to prove, which is always good,” he said.
“When I won my world title I was an underdog when I beat George Groves. It’s kind of good to prove people wrong, people who doubted you beforehand, people who picked you to lose, it just gives you a little bit more of a point to prove.
“Hopefully I can show the world how good I am.”
Callum Smith challenges Artur Beterbiev live on Sky Sports Arena from 1am and Sky Sports Main Event from 1.15am