Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) vs. Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs)
When: Friday, January 13, 2024
Where: Centre Videotron, Quebec City, Quebec
TV: Sky Sports/NOW TV
Weight Class: World Light Heavyweight Championship
Betting Odds: Artur Beterbiev (-485), Callum Smith (+320)—Odds by Bovada
Fight Analysis:
Artur Beterbiev defends his light heavyweight title against top challenger Callum Smith on January 13 in Quebec. It’s a bit of a strange locale for a fight between a Dagestan-born champ in Beterbiev and the Liverpool-based Smith, but fans should expect a nice one in this light heavyweight title battle. Beterbiev, almost 39, might be getting up there, but he still touts that 100% KO ratio, with a handful of nice wins that have him at the top of the division. Smith, 33, however, is a once-beaten former champ with size and skills who can’t be overlooked. Who should we get behind in this 175-pound championship tilt from Quebec City?
Neither man’s recent work is very voluminous. Beterbiev, with precious little time remaining in his prime, has fought four times since scoring his best win against Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019, his last fight being an 8th-round KO over hard-hitting challenger Anthony Yarde in January of ’23. He will have been out for a year by the time he climbs into the ring for this bout. He might be OK in this situation due to the recent work of his opponent in this case.
Smith had that big fight against Canelo in December 2020, dropping a decision but getting a nice payday and not disgracing himself. If he had gotten back to the grindstone and started stringing together wins and getting himself battle-tempered against the aging champion, it’d be one thing. But to fight twice since then, a total of 6 rounds, with his last bout being in August of ’22, just seems like such an unideal way to enter this fight. And for the 6’3” Smith to come into this on the heels of a nearly 18-month layoff is just horrible. If looking to not penalize him heavily for that, one could say he’s a veteran with a large background—a good amateur career followed by a lengthy pro career. He comes from a great fighting family, and maybe he can overcome the inactivity with his innate skills and know-how.
Smith is not without options in this fight. While he can fight on the inside well for a man as angular as he is, he does have considerable length advantages entering this bout, with three inches in height and about half a foot of reach. Smith has looked pretty lethal in his two fights at light heavyweight since losing to Canelo, scoring a pair of KOs, albeit at a lower level than this and spread out over the course of three years. It will only be his third fight at light heavyweight, taking on a supreme 175-pounder who has been at this weight for years and years.
