Callum Smith analyzes Beterbiev loss, challenge for Buatsi’s eyes


Callum Smith blames his loss to unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev on being out of the ring for 17 months and not sparring for 5 to 6 weeks in camp for their January 13 clash.

Beterbiev Loss Fallout

In that fight, everything went wrong for Smith (30-2, 22 KOs). In seven rounds, Beterbiev blew him away (21-0, 20 KOs) and made him look like an average fighter.

Callum bounced back from that loss, knocking out little-known Colombian Carlos Galvan (20-15-2, 19 KOs) in the fifth round on November 30 last year.

Next up for Smith, 34, is WBO interim light heavyweight champion Joshua Buatsi on February 22 at Beterbiev vs Dmitri Bivol 2 in Riyadh. If Callum is able to win this fight against the undefeated Buatsi (19-0, 13 KOs), he will be able to get a possible title shot against the winner of the Beterbiev-Bivol 2 rematch.

Few boxing fans believe Smith will defeat the tough 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Buatsi. Buatsi can punch, has a strong chin and is aggressive. In his last fight, he went through pure hell, defeating Willie Hutchinson by split decision over 12 rounds on September 21st at Wembley Stadium in London.

Not known for his low punches, Hutchinson hurt Buatsi several times in the fight just by staying in the fight and constantly throwing shots. However, there were moments when Buatsi looked on the verge of knocking him out. The punches that Joshua hit Hutchinson in that fight would probably have been too much for Callum, and he would surely have given up.

No more excuses

“I hate fighters who make excuses, but I’ve had 17 months out of the ring, so you think, ‘I’m going to get a lot of sparring,’ but I didn’t.” I hadn’t sparred for five or six weeks before. I didn’t prepare either,” Callum Smith told Sky Sports Boxing on why he lost to unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev last year on January 13.

“So the preparations were not ideal. I was out of the ring for 17 months. I really couldn’t afford to put it off again and be out of the ring for two years. That was a challenge. He had belts, he was a champion. You live and learn.

“I believed I would make it in the evening, but I didn’t.” I lost the fight and paid the price. I went and assessed what went wrong. I believe I am“Fixed thing, I’ve improved and I’m a better fighter because of it,” Smith said.

Sounds like Calum is making excuses for his loss. Oh, well, I guess he has to say something to try to figure out what happened to him in the Beterbiev loss. This is called ‘protecting the ego’.





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