On Saturday, Callum Smith gets his long awaited shot at IBF, WBC and WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev at the Videotron Centre, Quebec City, Canada.

Smith,rated at No. 3 by The Ring at light heavyweight, is determined now he's here to make good on his big opportunity.

"I'm here to do a job. I'm here to become a world champion again," Smith (29-1, 21 knockouts) said at yesterday's press conference. "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. 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."

This will be the 33-years-old third fight at the weight since he lost to Canelo Alvarez in December 2020. However, it will also be his first fight in 17 months.

"I've always been in the gym, for the postponed fight in August and I was supposed to fight in March which I had to withdraw from, so I've not been out of the gym for 17 months, I've constantly been at the gym with (my trainer) Buddy (McGirt)," he explained. "Inactivity isn't ideal but it's not like I've been sat out injured, I've been constantly improving as a fighter, so I don't worry too much about it. My last fight I was out for 11 months and it didn't bother me too much. You don't read too much into that, as long as you've had a good camp."

During that time away he's been aided by the support of his three fighting brothers.

"When I was younger I always used to get asked, 'Do I feel pressure being the youngest of four fighting brothers?' And I always felt the opposite and that I benefited, three very good fighters to look up to and they're the first people I look up to when I need advice," he said. "I've improved a lot just listening and watching over the years. Even this week, they know when to leave me alone, when to support me, so it's massive. We're a close knit family, we've had a lot of success and hopefully this weekend we can add to that."

After the only defeat of his career he decided to make several changes.

"Losing to Canelo, it highlights areas needed to target. I made changes, and the first was going with Buddy and it feels like every day is a school day. (He) made me an all-around fighter," he said.

"I need to be better, I needed to make changes, I changed weight classes, I changed my outlook on the sport, I set myself new goals and the main goal was to become world champion in a new division. I've been working on this fight for two or three years. It's an opportunity I don't plan to let slip."

Smith, who won The Ring and WBA super middleweight titles and the World Boxing Super Series tournament, has fought outside the U.K. previously, though this will arguably be the first time he has been considered the 'away' fighter.

It is believed close to 10,000 tickets have been sold for this event, the biggest in the area for over a decade since Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal fought in 2011. Many of those attendees will be hoping that Montreal-based Beterbiev can retain his titles, but Smith isn't too bothered about that.

"Yeah, you've got a little bit of a point to prove but regardless whether they're cheering for me or against me I've got a job to do. When the bell goes, my focus is on the opponent," he said. "It's nice to have them there cheering for you, but if they're not cheering from you I've still got the same thing. You get tunnel vision once you're in there, so you don't hear them as much as well."

This potentially mouth-watering fight is one that McGirt is excited about.

"Fights like this are what boxing needs," said the former two-weight world champion and 2019 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee. "I'd pay to see this fight, it's the best fighting the best. I think it's great for boxing, we need a lot more of this."

As if this fight needed further incentive it is believed a deal in principle is in place for Beterbiev to face WBA ruler Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Smith intends to upset the applecart and insert himself into that fight for the vacant Ring championship.