Zeuge vs Smith: A preview of Paul Smith's WBA title fight against Tyron Zeuge in Germany
Saturday 17 June 2017 21:39, UK
A look ahead to Paul Smith's bid to become a world champion at the third time of asking.
The Liverpool man, who twice lost to Arthur Abraham in his two previous tilts at world honours, will face WBA 'regular' super-middleweight champion Tyron Zeuge this Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.
Live Fight Night
Background
The 34-year-old Smith readily admits that age is not on his side and has vowed to seize what he has described as his 'last chance' to become a world champion.
It has been a long and often arduous road for the two-time British champion who made his professional debut over fifteen years ago and on Saturday he can realise a life-long ambition.
'Smigga' will once again look to strike gold on German soil, the setting of his two points defeat to the then WBO champion Abraham.
This time though, he will go up against a younger opponent in Zeuge who will be looking to make the second successive defence of his WBA belt.
The 25-year-old Zeuge (20-0-1-KO11) comes into Saturday's contest with a near perfect record, a majority draw with Italian Giovanni De Carolis last year the only blotch on his record.
That result meant De Carolis retained his WBA belt and when the two fought again Zeuge secured a dramatic late stoppage to claim the title. The German has since defended the WBA belt against Isaac Ekpo.
Smith will be hopeful that it is third time lucky as he looks to extend Britain's domination of the super-middleweight division, Zeuge the only obstacle in the way of him achieving a lifelong dream.
What the fighter says
What the experts say
It's a fight that I think Paul Smith can win and it's one that I hope he does win. It's the last chance for Paul and I would love to see him pull it off.
Whatever Paul Smith has got left, he needs to leave it in the ring on Saturday - if he doesn’t, he loses. Smith wins a hard-fought fight on points.
Tyron Zeuge is unbeaten and the fight is in Germany so it is a tough ask for Smith. This is his chance, his last one, and I hope he can bring the belt home.
The weigh-in
Paul Smith: 11st 13lb 15½ oz
Tyron Zeuge: 11st 13lb 9 oz
Paul Smith vs Tyron Zeuge is live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 9pm on Saturday, then Andre Ward vs Sergey Kovalev II is live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 2am on Sunday morning.
