Tag: liam williams

Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do; Keyshawn Davis, Hamzah Sheeraz pass tests

Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do after his shaky victory. Meanwhile, Keyshawn Davis and Hamzah Sheeraz passed tests.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST LOSER?
Teofimo Lopez

I don’t want to be too hard on the 140-pound titleholder, who was fortunate to emerge with a unanimous decision victory over Jamaime Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas. When an opponent as skillful and athletic as Ortiz doesn’t want to take punches, it’s difficult to hit the bullseye. The great Vasiliy Lomachenko landed only 21.9% of his punches in his victory over Ortiz in 2022, according to CompuBox. Lopez landed 21.4% of his shots. That being said, Lomachenko landed more punches than Lopez did against Ortiz – 125 to 78 – because he did a better job of making adjustments. Lopez never figured out how to corner Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs), taking the final three rounds on all three cards as a result of sheer aggression to pull out the victory. I won’t say that Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) squandered the momentum he built with his sensational victory over Josh Taylor last June – everyone has a bad night – but elite fighters find a way to neutralize anything their opponents throw at them. Lopez didn’t do that, meaning he still has work to do if he hopes to become one of the best of his generation. For the record: Yes, Lopez outpointed Lomachenko in 2020 – and he deserved the decision – but Lomachenko fought with an injured shoulder, on which he had surgery days later.

 

BIGGEST WINNER
Keyshawn Davis

Giving up marijuana evidently has done Davis good. The 2021 Olympic silver medalist and 135-pound contender couldn’t have looked much better than he did against veteran Jose Pedraza on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping the former two-division titleholder in the sixth round. Davis’ combination of fundamental skills and God-given gifts – particularly his hand speed – could make him a truly special fighter, as Pedraza learned the hard way. The Puerto Rican was overwhelmed from the outset. Pedraza is 34 years old and now 0-3-1 in his last four fights, which must be considered Davis’ performance is assessed. Still, Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs) is a capable, seasoned opponent. And Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) blew him away. The victory followed a no-contest against Nahir Albright in October, the result of testing positive for marijuana. Davis said he gave up the recreational drug to focus on boxing, which paid dividends Thursday. He might crack the Top 5 of one or more sanctioning bodies after his big night, meaning he took another step toward his first title shot. It seems to me that we must now mention his name when we discuss the top 135-pounders.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Hamzah Sheeraz

The 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England also faced the biggest test of his career, a scheduled 12-rounder against veteran Liam Williams on Saturday night in London. And Sheeraz earned an “A” grade. He fought behind his long, punishing left jab to put Williams down twice and stop him inside of one full round, a sensational result that stamps him a genuine 160-pound title contender. I was impressed with his skillset and poise at 24, as well as his punching power. He attacked his more experienced opponent in an intelligent, methodical yet vicious manner and simply destroyed him, which no one else has been able to do. The only time Williams (25-5-1, 20 KOs) failed to go the distance was a technical knockout against Liam Smith, which was the result of a cut. Sheeraz (19-0, 15 KOs) had a special night. He has called out Chris Eubank Jr., Smith and popular Nathan Heaney. I believe he has the ability and demeanor to compete on the same level as those potential opponents and possibly any one else in and around his division. He’s definitely one to watch.

 

BEST MATCHUP?
Haney vs. Garcia

News item: 140-pound titleholder Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and contender Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) have agreed to meet on pay-per-view April 20. No site has been announced. The fight makes perfect sense from a business standpoint, primarily because of Haney’s success and Garcia’s massive following on social media. The fight will sell. But is it a good matchup from a boxing standpoint? I would rather see Haney fight Gervonta Davis or Shakur Stevenson, both of whom are as talented as he is, but Haney-Garcia could be more competitive than some might believe. Haney is one of the best technicians in the sport. He’ll probably outbox Garcia and win a clear decision. However, the champion is a better matchup for Garcia than Davis was for at least two reasons: One, Garcia won’t have to suffer to make weight, as he reportedly did when he fought Davis at 136 pounds. And, two, Haney doesn’t have the punching power of Davis, who stopped Garcia with a body shot. Garcia, who split six fights with Haney as an amateur, also is a good boxer, quick handed, a big puncher and now has experience in a superfight. I’m picking Haney to win but I wouldn’t count out Garcia.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item II: Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) will fight fellow former titleholder George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for the vacant IBF 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia. It’s hard to believe but the boxing wizard hasn’t held a major title since October 2020, when he lost his lightweight titles to Lopez. He won his next three fights but then lost a disputed decision to then-undisputed champion Haney a year ago. I don’t think Kambosos has the skill set to beat Lomachenko, even a 35-year-old version. That means the future Hall of Famer will have a belt around his waist one more time, which seems appropriate. … Former amateur star Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) from Cleveland is living up to the hype so far. The 19-year-old southpaw was at it again on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping previously unbeaten Benjamin Gurment (8-1-3, 5 KOs) with a massive left hand in the second round of a scheduled eight-round 135-pound bout. Check out the punch here. Mason seems to have elite tools.

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Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do; Keyshawn Davis, Hamzah Sheeraz pass tests

Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do after his shaky victory. Meanwhile, Keyshawn Davis and Hamzah Sheeraz passed tests.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST LOSER?
Teofimo Lopez

I don’t want to be too hard on the 140-pound titleholder, who was fortunate to emerge with a unanimous decision victory over Jamaime Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas. When an opponent as skillful and athletic as Ortiz doesn’t want to take punches, it’s difficult to hit the bullseye. The great Vasiliy Lomachenko landed only 21.9% of his punches in his victory over Ortiz in 2022, according to CompuBox. Lopez landed 21.4% of his shots. That being said, Lomachenko landed more punches than Lopez did against Ortiz – 125 to 78 – because he did a better job of making adjustments. Lopez never figured out how to corner Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs), taking the final three rounds on all three cards as a result of sheer aggression to pull out the victory. I won’t say that Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) squandered the momentum he built with his sensational victory over Josh Taylor last June – everyone has a bad night – but elite fighters find a way to neutralize anything their opponents throw at them. Lopez didn’t do that, meaning he still has work to do if he hopes to become one of the best of his generation. For the record: Yes, Lopez outpointed Lomachenko in 2020 – and he deserved the decision – but Lomachenko fought with an injured shoulder, on which he had surgery days later.

 

BIGGEST WINNER
Keyshawn Davis

Giving up marijuana evidently has done Davis good. The 2021 Olympic silver medalist and 135-pound contender couldn’t have looked much better than he did against veteran Jose Pedraza on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping the former two-division titleholder in the sixth round. Davis’ combination of fundamental skills and God-given gifts – particularly his hand speed – could make him a truly special fighter, as Pedraza learned the hard way. The Puerto Rican was overwhelmed from the outset. Pedraza is 34 years old and now 0-3-1 in his last four fights, which must be considered Davis’ performance is assessed. Still, Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs) is a capable, seasoned opponent. And Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) blew him away. The victory followed a no-contest against Nahir Albright in October, the result of testing positive for marijuana. Davis said he gave up the recreational drug to focus on boxing, which paid dividends Thursday. He might crack the Top 5 of one or more sanctioning bodies after his big night, meaning he took another step toward his first title shot. It seems to me that we must now mention his name when we discuss the top 135-pounders.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Hamzah Sheeraz

The 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England also faced the biggest test of his career, a scheduled 12-rounder against veteran Liam Williams on Saturday night in London. And Sheeraz earned an “A” grade. He fought behind his long, punishing left jab to put Williams down twice and stop him inside of one full round, a sensational result that stamps him a genuine 160-pound title contender. I was impressed with his skillset and poise at 24, as well as his punching power. He attacked his more experienced opponent in an intelligent, methodical yet vicious manner and simply destroyed him, which no one else has been able to do. The only time Williams (25-5-1, 20 KOs) failed to go the distance was a technical knockout against Liam Smith, which was the result of a cut. Sheeraz (19-0, 15 KOs) had a special night. He has called out Chris Eubank Jr., Smith and popular Nathan Heaney. I believe he has the ability and demeanor to compete on the same level as those potential opponents and possibly any one else in and around his division. He’s definitely one to watch.

 

BEST MATCHUP?
Haney vs. Garcia

News item: 140-pound titleholder Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and contender Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) have agreed to meet on pay-per-view April 20. No site has been announced. The fight makes perfect sense from a business standpoint, primarily because of Haney’s success and Garcia’s massive following on social media. The fight will sell. But is it a good matchup from a boxing standpoint? I would rather see Haney fight Gervonta Davis or Shakur Stevenson, both of whom are as talented as he is, but Haney-Garcia could be more competitive than some might believe. Haney is one of the best technicians in the sport. He’ll probably outbox Garcia and win a clear decision. However, the champion is a better matchup for Garcia than Davis was for at least two reasons: One, Garcia won’t have to suffer to make weight, as he reportedly did when he fought Davis at 136 pounds. And, two, Haney doesn’t have the punching power of Davis, who stopped Garcia with a body shot. Garcia, who split six fights with Haney as an amateur, also is a good boxer, quick handed, a big puncher and now has experience in a superfight. I’m picking Haney to win but I wouldn’t count out Garcia.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item II: Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) will fight fellow former titleholder George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for the vacant IBF 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia. It’s hard to believe but the boxing wizard hasn’t held a major title since October 2020, when he lost his lightweight titles to Lopez. He won his next three fights but then lost a disputed decision to then-undisputed champion Haney a year ago. I don’t think Kambosos has the skill set to beat Lomachenko, even a 35-year-old version. That means the future Hall of Famer will have a belt around his waist one more time, which seems appropriate. … Former amateur star Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) from Cleveland is living up to the hype so far. The 19-year-old southpaw was at it again on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping previously unbeaten Benjamin Gurment (8-1-3, 5 KOs) with a massive left hand in the second round of a scheduled eight-round 135-pound bout. Check out the punch here. Mason seems to have elite tools.

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Hamzah Sheeraz drops veteran Liam Williams twice, stops him in first round

Hamzah Sheeraz dropped veteran Liam Williams twice and stopped him in the first round Saturday, thus passing the biggest test of his career.

Hamzah Sheeraz appears to be a genuine threat to anyone.

The 24-year-old 160-pound contender needed less than a full round to put veteran Liam Williams down twice and then stop him on Saturday night in London, thus passing the most significant test of his career.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:36 of Round 1.

Williams (25-5-1, 20 KOs) lost back-to-back decisions to Demetrius Andrade and Chris Eubank in 2021 and 2022 but had rebounded by defeating two journeymen. And the durable Welshman had never been stopped in his decade-long career, aside from one fight (against Liam Smith) in which he retired with a bad cut.

None of that mattered to Sheeraz, who wasted no time showing his more experienced opponent who was boss.

The 6-foot-3 Englishman put Williams down with a left about a minute into the fight, which kicked off the beat down in earnest. Sheeraz then put Williams on the canvas again with a right uppercut about a minute later, evidently hurting him.

Williams got to his feet a second time but Sheeraz landed almost at will after the second knockdown, prompting trainer Gary Lockett to stop the fight.

Sheeraz, who trains in Los Angeles, is ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies, as high as No. 4 by the WBC. That, combined with his sensational knockout Saturday, leaves little doubt that he’s a legitimate title contender.

Hamzah Sheeraz drops veteran Liam Williams twice, stops him in first round

Hamzah Sheeraz dropped veteran Liam Williams twice and stopped him in the first round Saturday, thus passing the biggest test of his career.

Hamzah Sheeraz appears to be a genuine threat to anyone.

The 24-year-old 160-pound contender needed less than a full round to put veteran Liam Williams down twice and then stop him on Saturday night in London, thus passing the most significant test of his career.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:36 of Round 1.

Williams (25-5-1, 20 KOs) lost back-to-back decisions to Demetrius Andrade and Chris Eubank in 2021 and 2022 but had rebounded by defeating two journeymen. And the durable Welshman had never been stopped in his decade-long career, aside from one fight (against Liam Smith) in which he retired with a bad cut.

None of that mattered to Sheeraz, who wasted no time showing his more experienced opponent who was boss.

The 6-foot-3 Englishman put Williams down with a left about a minute into the fight, which kicked off the beat down in earnest. Sheeraz then put Williams on the canvas again with a right uppercut about a minute later, evidently hurting him.

Williams got to his feet a second time but Sheeraz landed almost at will after the second knockdown, prompting trainer Gary Lockett to stop the fight.

Sheeraz, who trains in Los Angeles, is ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies, as high as No. 4 by the WBC. That, combined with his sensational knockout Saturday, leaves little doubt that he’s a legitimate title contender.

Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Liam Williams: Date, time, how to watch, background

Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Liam Williams: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Unbeaten middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz is set to face veteran Liam Williams on Saturday in London.

HAMZAH SHEERAZ (18-0, 14 KOs)
VS. LIAM WILLIAMS (25-4-1, 20 KOS)

  • Date: Saturday, Feb. 10
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Copper Box Arena, London
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Sheeraz 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ***
  • Also on the card: Sam Noakes vs. Lewis Sylvester, lightweights; Anthony Yarde vs. Marko Nikolic, light heavyweights; Masood Abdulah vs. Qais Ashfaq, featherweights
  • Background: Sheeraz has dominated marginal opponents, including knockouts in his last 12 fights. Now comes what could be a genuine test in the form of veteran Liam Williams. Sheeraz is a 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England with both boxing ability and formidable punching power, as his KO record suggests. The 24-year-old last fought on Aug. 26, when he stopped previously unbeaten Dmytro Mytrofanov in two rounds in Poland. None of his last four opponents has lasted five full rounds with him. Williams, 31, also is a rugged, hard-punching contender. The Welshman bounced back from back-to-back losses to Liam Smith to earn a shot at then-middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade’s title in 2021 but came up short in his only title fight, losing a one-sided decision. He then lost a clear decision to Chris Eubank Jr., which threatened his career as an elite fighter. However, he subsequently defeated journeymen Nizar Trimech and Florin Cardos to earn at least one more big fight.

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Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Liam Williams: Date, time, how to watch, background

Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Liam Williams: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Unbeaten middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz is set to face veteran Liam Williams on Saturday in London.

HAMZAH SHEERAZ (18-0, 14 KOs)
VS. LIAM WILLIAMS (25-4-1, 20 KOS)

  • Date: Saturday, Feb. 10
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Copper Box Arena, London
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Sheeraz 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ***
  • Also on the card: Sam Noakes vs. Lewis Sylvester, lightweights; Anthony Yarde vs. Marko Nikolic, light heavyweights; Masood Abdulah vs. Qais Ashfaq, featherweights
  • Background: Sheeraz has dominated marginal opponents, including knockouts in his last 12 fights. Now comes what could be a genuine test in the form of veteran Liam Williams. Sheeraz is a 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England with both boxing ability and formidable punching power, as his KO record suggests. The 24-year-old last fought on Aug. 26, when he stopped previously unbeaten Dmytro Mytrofanov in two rounds in Poland. None of his last four opponents has lasted five full rounds with him. Williams, 31, also is a rugged, hard-punching contender. The Welshman bounced back from back-to-back losses to Liam Smith to earn a shot at then-middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade’s title in 2021 but came up short in his only title fight, losing a one-sided decision. He then lost a clear decision to Chris Eubank Jr., which threatened his career as an elite fighter. However, he subsequently defeated journeymen Nizar Trimech and Florin Cardos to earn at least one more big fight.

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Fight Week: Teofimo Lopez returns to ring against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday

Junior welterweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his belt against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas..

FIGHT WEEK

Junior welterweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his belt against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.

TEOFIMO LOPEZ (19-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JAMAINE ORTIZ (17-1-1, 8 KOS)

  • Date: Thursday, Feb. 8
  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: Lopez’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound: Lopez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: Lopez 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Keyshawn Davis vs. Jose Pedraza, lightweights
  • Background: Lopez reclaimed his place among the best in the business on June 10, when he defeated previously unbeaten Josh Taylor by a convincing decision to regain a share of the140-pound championship. The 26-year-old native of Brooklyn had lost his 135-pound belts in a stunning upset against George Kambosos Jr. in 2021, although it was later determined that Lopez fought with a dangerous health condition. He rebounded to stop Pedro Campa, narrowly outpoint Sandor Martin and take down Taylor. The last victory lifted him back onto the Boxing Junkie pound-for-pound list. Ortiz will be fighting for a major title for the first time. The resident of Worcester, Massachusetts made a splash when he outpointed former 130-pound titleholder Jamel Herring in May 2022 but came up short in his next fight five months later, a unanimous decision against Vasiliy Lomachenko. The Ukrainian star deserved the nod but Ortiz gave a solid performance, bolstering his reputation. He easily outpointed Antonio Moran in September, his most recent fight. He’s ranked No. 10 by the WBO.

 

HAMZAH SHEERAZ (18-0, 14 KOs)
VS. LIAM WILLIAMS (25-4-1, 20 KOS)

  • Date: Saturday, Feb. 10
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Copper Box Arena, London
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Sheeraz 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ***
  • Also on the card: Sam Noakes vs. Lewis Sylvester, lightweights; Anthony Yarde vs. Marko Nikolic, light heavyweights; Masood Abdulah vs. Qais Ashfaq, featherweights
  • Background: Sheeraz has dominated marginal opponents, including knockouts in his last 12 fights. Now comes what could be a genuine test in the form of veteran Liam Williams. Sheeraz is a 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England with both boxing ability and formidable punching power, as his KO record suggests. The 24-year-old last fought on Aug. 26, when he stopped previously unbeaten Dmytro Mytrofanov in two rounds in Poland. None of his last four opponents has lasted five full rounds with him. Williams, 31, also is a rugged, hard-punching contender. The Welshman bounced back from back-to-back losses to Liam Smith to earn a shot at then-middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade’s title in 2021 but came up short in his only title fight, losing a one-sided decision. He then lost a clear decision to Chris Eubank Jr., which threatened his career as an elite fighter. However, he subsequently defeated journeymen Nizar Trimech and Florin Cardos to earn at least one more big fight.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

SATURDAY

  • Liam Dillon vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights, Newcastle, England (DAZN)
  • Austin Brooks vs. Julio Carrera, junior lightweights, Long Beach, California (Fox Deportes, Fubo TV)

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Fight Week: Teofimo Lopez returns to ring against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday

Junior welterweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his belt against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas..

FIGHT WEEK

Junior welterweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his belt against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.

TEOFIMO LOPEZ (19-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JAMAINE ORTIZ (17-1-1, 8 KOS)

  • Date: Thursday, Feb. 8
  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: Lopez’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound: Lopez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: Lopez 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ****
  • Also on the card: Keyshawn Davis vs. Jose Pedraza, lightweights
  • Background: Lopez reclaimed his place among the best in the business on June 10, when he defeated previously unbeaten Josh Taylor by a convincing decision to regain a share of the140-pound championship. The 26-year-old native of Brooklyn had lost his 135-pound belts in a stunning upset against George Kambosos Jr. in 2021, although it was later determined that Lopez fought with a dangerous health condition. He rebounded to stop Pedro Campa, narrowly outpoint Sandor Martin and take down Taylor. The last victory lifted him back onto the Boxing Junkie pound-for-pound list. Ortiz will be fighting for a major title for the first time. The resident of Worcester, Massachusetts made a splash when he outpointed former 130-pound titleholder Jamel Herring in May 2022 but came up short in his next fight five months later, a unanimous decision against Vasiliy Lomachenko. The Ukrainian star deserved the nod but Ortiz gave a solid performance, bolstering his reputation. He easily outpointed Antonio Moran in September, his most recent fight. He’s ranked No. 10 by the WBO.

 

HAMZAH SHEERAZ (18-0, 14 KOs)
VS. LIAM WILLIAMS (25-4-1, 20 KOS)

  • Date: Saturday, Feb. 10
  • Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Copper Box Arena, London
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound: None
  • Odds: Sheeraz 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): ***
  • Also on the card: Sam Noakes vs. Lewis Sylvester, lightweights; Anthony Yarde vs. Marko Nikolic, light heavyweights; Masood Abdulah vs. Qais Ashfaq, featherweights
  • Background: Sheeraz has dominated marginal opponents, including knockouts in his last 12 fights. Now comes what could be a genuine test in the form of veteran Liam Williams. Sheeraz is a 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England with both boxing ability and formidable punching power, as his KO record suggests. The 24-year-old last fought on Aug. 26, when he stopped previously unbeaten Dmytro Mytrofanov in two rounds in Poland. None of his last four opponents has lasted five full rounds with him. Williams, 31, also is a rugged, hard-punching contender. The Welshman bounced back from back-to-back losses to Liam Smith to earn a shot at then-middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade’s title in 2021 but came up short in his only title fight, losing a one-sided decision. He then lost a clear decision to Chris Eubank Jr., which threatened his career as an elite fighter. However, he subsequently defeated journeymen Nizar Trimech and Florin Cardos to earn at least one more big fight.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

SATURDAY

  • Liam Dillon vs. Reece Bellotti, junior lightweights, Newcastle, England (DAZN)
  • Austin Brooks vs. Julio Carrera, junior lightweights, Long Beach, California (Fox Deportes, Fubo TV)

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Liam Smith on opponent Chris Eubank Jr.: ‘I don’t think he’s the cleverest’

Liam Smith on Saturday’s opponent Chris Eubank Jr.: “I don’t think he’s the cleverest.”

Liam Smith is a live 2½-1 underdog going into his fight with Chris Eubank Jr. on Saturday at AO Arena in Manchester, England (DAZN).

The former 154-pound champ fell short against Mexican stars Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia. And he lost to rising junior middleweight contender Magomed Kurbanov in May 2021, which seemed to signal the end of his tenure as an elite fighter.

However, the 34-year-old then reeled off three consecutive victories – including a 10th-round knockout of Jessie Vargas last April – to reestablish his credentials.

And now he has a chance to take another giant step forward against his fellow Englishman in a 160-pound fight on home soil.

“It’s a huge fight domestically,” Smith told RingTV.com. “[It’s] a big fight to be involved in, a fight I’m happy with and I’ve called for. It’s one I’m looking forward to.”

Especially because he believes he has a good chance to have his hand raised.

Eubank (32-2, 23 KOs) also is on an impressive run, with six consecutive victories since he lost on points to George Groves in 2018. That includes decisions over James DeGale in 2019 and Liam Williams in his most-recent fight, last February.

However, Eubank still has doubters. Smith seems to among that group.

“When I strip it down and back, how good do I think he is ability wise? I think he’s OK,” Smith said. “I just don’t rate his boxing ability, his boxing IQ, I don’t think he’s the cleverest. I don’t think he’s a world-class middleweight in that sense.”

Smith (32-3-1, 19 KOs) was critical of Eubank’s performance against Williams even though Eubank scored four knockdowns in the one-sided fight.

“He dropped Liam Williams four times and didn’t get him out of there,” Smith said. “I don’t know if he can do the rounds anymore as good as he used to because if I dropped someone four times in a fight, I’d bet every penny I own they don’t see the final bell.”

Smith has trained in his hometown of Liverpool for the upcoming fight, which means he was with his family for the holidays. Still, he had to make sacrifices he normally wouldn’t make that time of year.

And he’s OK with that.

“I knew I was going to have to have a disciplined Christmas,” he said, “but when I beat Chris Eubank Jr. on January 21st I’ll reap the rewards of being disciplined over Christmas.”

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Liam Smith on opponent Chris Eubank Jr.: ‘I don’t think he’s the cleverest’

Liam Smith on Saturday’s opponent Chris Eubank Jr.: “I don’t think he’s the cleverest.”

Liam Smith is a live 2½-1 underdog going into his fight with Chris Eubank Jr. on Saturday at AO Arena in Manchester, England (DAZN).

The former 154-pound champ fell short against Mexican stars Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia. And he lost to rising junior middleweight contender Magomed Kurbanov in May 2021, which seemed to signal the end of his tenure as an elite fighter.

However, the 34-year-old then reeled off three consecutive victories – including a 10th-round knockout of Jessie Vargas last April – to reestablish his credentials.

And now he has a chance to take another giant step forward against his fellow Englishman in a 160-pound fight on home soil.

“It’s a huge fight domestically,” Smith told RingTV.com. “[It’s] a big fight to be involved in, a fight I’m happy with and I’ve called for. It’s one I’m looking forward to.”

Especially because he believes he has a good chance to have his hand raised.

Eubank (32-2, 23 KOs) also is on an impressive run, with six consecutive victories since he lost on points to George Groves in 2018. That includes decisions over James DeGale in 2019 and Liam Williams in his most-recent fight, last February.

However, Eubank still has doubters. Smith seems to among that group.

“When I strip it down and back, how good do I think he is ability wise? I think he’s OK,” Smith said. “I just don’t rate his boxing ability, his boxing IQ, I don’t think he’s the cleverest. I don’t think he’s a world-class middleweight in that sense.”

Smith (32-3-1, 19 KOs) was critical of Eubank’s performance against Williams even though Eubank scored four knockdowns in the one-sided fight.

“He dropped Liam Williams four times and didn’t get him out of there,” Smith said. “I don’t know if he can do the rounds anymore as good as he used to because if I dropped someone four times in a fight, I’d bet every penny I own they don’t see the final bell.”

Smith has trained in his hometown of Liverpool for the upcoming fight, which means he was with his family for the holidays. Still, he had to make sacrifices he normally wouldn’t make that time of year.

And he’s OK with that.

“I knew I was going to have to have a disciplined Christmas,” he said, “but when I beat Chris Eubank Jr. on January 21st I’ll reap the rewards of being disciplined over Christmas.”

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