Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith Press Conference & Weigh-in Video
WATCH THIS FIGHT ON ESPN+
CLICK HERE for Photos(Courtesy: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE FOR Press Conference VIDEO (Courtesy: Top Rank)
Quebec, Canada(Jan. 12, 2024) — Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone: Beterbiev vs. Smith will be presented live this Saturday, January 13, at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT, on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ from Videotron Centre in Quebec, Canada.
In the main event, WBC/WBO/IBF light heavyweight king Artur Beterbiev will defend his crown against former world champion Callum Smith.
Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs), who resides in Montreal, is boxing’s only current world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio. He has made seven title defenses since capturing the IBF strap in November 2017. Smith (29-1, 21 KOs), from Liverpool, England, and the WBC’s mandatory challenger, has won two bouts by stoppage since dropping a decision in a 2020 title unification fight against Canelo Alvarez.
In the undercard action, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. ET exclusively on ESPN+, Australian Jason “Mayhem” Moloney (26-2, 19 KOs) will defend his WBO bantamweight world title against Mexican-American challenger Saul Sanchez (20-2, 12 KOs), who enters his first world title challenge.
Calling the action will be: ESPN’s Joe Tessitore, Hall of Famer, Timothy Bradley, Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna.
At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the main event fighters and their head trainers had to say.
Artur Beterbiev
“I’m excited, just like I am for every fight. For this fight, we prepared like we usually do, which is at 100 percent.”
“I’m focused on this fight. I’m happy that my supporters are coming to watch us. But I have things to do.”
Callum Smith
“I’m here to do a job. I’m here to become a world champion again. I’m here with my team. And as long as I’m with them, I can be anywhere and feel like home. I’m in a good place mentally and physically, and I’m ready to perform.”
“This will be exciting. He’s a very good fighter. He’s a three-belt champion. So, his achievements speak for themselves. But, I believe in myself. I always have. I believe that the best version of me can beat anyone in the world. I fully stand by that.”
“I’ve improved a lot over the last couple of years with {my trainer} Buddy McGirt. And the time is now. I’m ready to become a two-division world champion. I’m being presented with the opportunity this weekend, and it’s an opportunity I plan on taking.”
“Regardless of whether the crowd is cheering for me or against me, I’m there to do a job. My focus is on my opponent. It’s nice to have people cheering for you. But if they’re not, I’m still there to do the same thing.”
Marc Ramsay (Beterbiev’s head trainer)
“He’s a good fighter. He’s a complete. He’s No. 1 for a reason. But at the end of the day, Artur has been boxing since he was nine. He’s seen everything.”
“It’s always good {for him to start camp in Russia}. It’s a protocol that we’ve had for a long time. We’ve had success with that protocol. He goes to a high altitude to start training camp the right way and make sure he’s not starting the real camp at zero.”
Buddy McGirt (Smith’s head trainer)
“He’s very underrated. I think a lot of people underestimate him. He’s going to really showcase what he can do on Saturday night.”
“You can’t go into the fight thinking about his record. We know what’s in front of us. We’re not stupid. We know that it’s a tough test. We’re prepared for that. If you’re worried about that, you’re in the wrong business.”
• CLICK HERE for PHOTOS
Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
• CLICK HERE for WEIGH-IN VIDEO
Credit: Top Rank
(ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
• Artur Beterbiev 175 lbs. vs. Callum Smith 174.6 lbs
(Beterbiev’s WBC/IBF/WBO Light Heavyweight World Titles – 12 Rounds)
• Christian Mbilli 167.3 lbs vs. Rohan Murdock 167.6 lbs
(Mbilli’s WBC Continental Americas & WBA International Super Middleweight Titles — 10 Rounds)
(ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT)
• Jason Moloney 117.5 lbs vs. Saul Sanchez 117.8 lbs
(Moloney’s WBO Bantamweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
• Imam Khataev 174.6 lbs vs. Michal Ludwiczak 178.6 lbs
(Light Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)
• Leila Beaudoin 129.9 lbs vs. Elizabeth Espinoza 128.6 lbs
(Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)
• Wilkens Mathieu 168.8 lbs vs. Jose Arias Alvarez 167.7 lbs
(Super Middleweight — 6 Rounds)
• Mehmet Ünal 177.8 lbs vs. Dragan Lepei 177.7 lbs
(Light Heavyweight — 8 Rounds)
• Christopher Guerrero 149.5 lbs vs. Sergio Herrera 149.6 lbs
(Welterweight — 8 Rounds)
• Moreno Fendero 162.8 lbs vs. Victor Hugo Flores 162.3 lbs
(Middleweight — 4 Rounds)
Beterbiev vs. Smith Betting Odds:
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