Maxim Vlasov has taken an interesting path to his title fight with Joe Smith Jr. on Saturday.
The Russian, who faces Smith for the vacant WBO light heavyweight title Saturday in Tulsa, Okla. (ESPN, ESPN+), was a cruiserweight four fights ago. That’s when he lost a wide decision to Krzysztof Glowacki in the World Boxing Super Series.
After that, he shed weight and moved down to the division in which he started his career. Three consecutive victories followed, which set up a November fight with countryman Umar Salamov for the right to fight for the vacant WBO title.
Then things got complicated. The fight was postponed – and then canceled – after Salamov tested positive for COVID-19. That allowed Vlasov to move directly into a Feb. 13 meeting with Smith for belt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08UPJJ2fRC8
Then it was Vlasov’s turn to test positive for the coronavirus, which put the title fight on hold. He had to stay in Las Vegas for 10 days to recover from a mild case of the virus, return to Russia and then come back to the United States for a restart.
Finally, he and Smith are set to do battle at Osage Casino in Tulsa, Okla.
“I was very excited about this fight,” Vlasov said through a translator, referring to the original date with Smith. “I was so shocked, so overwhelmed that it was canceled. I was in excellent shape. I was very much ready. … This time is harder. We’ve had less time to prepare.
“But we’ve made progress with everything that I need to do to win this fight.”
Vlasov (45-3, 26 KOs) has been out of the ring since November 2019, when he defeated previously unbeaten Emmanuel Martey to move into the title picture. That means he will have been away for 17 months.
That might be one reason Vlasov is about a 3-1 underdog against Smith, that and the fact that the Long Islander’s (N.Y.) resume is much stronger than his.
Smith’s victories over Jesse Hart and then Eleider Alvarez in 2020 alone are more impressive than anything Vlasov has done in the ring in his career, which includes losses to Isaac Chilemba (which he avenged), Gilberto Ramirez (at 175) and Glowacki (at 200).
Vlasov knows that most people are picking Smith (26-3, 21 KOs) to win, especially those in the United States. He’s planning something special for them.
“I understand, in the U.S., not everybody believes I’m going to win,” he said. “… I will do my best to surprise everybody. And I probably will surprise a lot of people, maybe even upset some people.
“Anyway, I will show my best skills. This is a very serious, great opportunity for me to fight for a championship. And I will do my best.”