Callum Smith Eyeing David Benavidez Fight, Move Up To Cruiserweight For Badou Jack
Mar 19, 2025
1 min read
Callum Smith has his sights set on a huge fight with fellow light-heavyweight contender David Benavidez next. Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) reignited his career with a bruising, fight of the year-contending clash against Joshua Buatsi last month in Saudi Arabia...
Callum Smith has his sights set on a huge fight with fellow light-heavyweight contender David Benavidez next.
Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) reignited his career with a bruising, fight of the year-contending clash against Joshua Buatsi last month in Saudi Arabia on the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undercard.
Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) was ringside in Riyadh to see that card but may have to wait it out to fight undisputed champion Bivol, despite the WBC's order for the Russian to defend against the Mexican Monster.
A trilogy fight with Beterbiev may take precedence for Bivol, which leaves WBC 'interim' champ Benavidez needing someone to fight in the meantime.
Smith, the WBO 'interim' champion already has a title shot waiting for him once the belts fragment, but he's willing to put it all on the line for a fight with Benavidez.
Smith told the Toe2Toe podcast: "I think that's a great fight, to be fair. It's a fight that's always...we were both champions at 168 pounds, it was spoken about but it didn't quite happen.
"Stylistically, I rate him, I think he's a very good fighter and I think he's good for boxing, I like his personality.
"He's a good fighter, he's getting better and better, he's shown he wants to fight anyone, regardless of who. If that fight is offered and it makes sense, then definitely, further down the line maybe it could be a unification fight."
Smith also has three-weight world honours in his sights, as he fancies a fight with current WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs).
Jack, a former champion at both super-middleweight and light-heavyweight himself, defends his green and gold belt on May 3 in Riyadh against mandatory challenger Ryan Rozicki.
"I'd love the Badou Jack fight," Smith added on Sky Sports. "It's a fight that I would take given the opportunity.
"I don't class myself as a fully-fledged cruiserweight but I don't class him as one either. I think it's definitely a fight I would consider if it can be made."
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