Callum Smith may challenge Kovalev

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LIVERPOOL’S Callum Smith is gunning for unification fights at super-middleweight following his seventh-round stoppage of George Groves last September but is also happy to entertain the idea of moving up a division and fighting a Russian light-heavyweight.
The Russian light-heavyweight in question is Sergey Kovalev, back in the game after last weekend’s revenge victory over Eleider Alvarez, and Joe Gallagher, Smith’s coach, insists a meeting of Smith and the WBO light-heavyweight king could be a possibility if they find themselves running dry at 12 stone.
“The unification fights, that’s what we want, that’s what we’ve said to [promoter] Eddie Hearn,” Gallagher told Sky Sports.
“They’re the big fights we want, and even with Kovalev winning at the weekend, there’s a possibility if no one wants to dance with us at super-middleweight, that we’d move up and fight Kovalev. I think that would get everyone excited. They’re the type of fights we want for Callum Smith.
“Callum Smith became the number one in the world last year. He’s become a dad, he’s back in the gym now and he’s itching to get out. I’m wanting Callum to fight April, May time, whether that’s here in the UK or in America. But we want the big unification fights.”
Smith, the WBA champion at super-middleweight, shares his coach’s enthusiasm. He too is energised by the prospect of meaningful, career-defining fights, be it at super-middleweight or light-heavyweight.
“Now I’m getting back in the gym, and I had a meeting with Eddie last week which got me a little bit excited,” Smith said.
“Just speaking about certain opponents and venues and stuff, I’ve got the buzz back again and I’m at the point where I want to come to the gym, I want to train, I want to fight.
“I’m ranked number one in the world, but I still believe I have to cement that, and prove that by beating some of the other champions, which is on the to-do list.”

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Smith is an exciting fighter and now should dominate and unify the division if he can. No need to jump up weight just yet but could see him beat Log but still would have him the underdog in that fight. No need to take unnecessary risks at this stage of his career.

There is next to nobody at 168 these days. Kovalev might make a lot of sense for him.

Callum Smith was really a Light Heavyweight, so this is no surprise that he's stepping into that division now.

What is surprising is that he's going straight for Kovalev