Liam Smith to fight Sadam Ali for WBO title in New York in May
Monday 19 March 2018 18:01, UK
Liam Smith will attempt to regain the WBO light-middleweight title when he travels to America to challenge Brooklyn boxer Sadam ‘World Kid’ Ali on May 12.
Liam was the first of the Smith brothers to win a world title when he beat John Thompson to claim the vacant WBO strap in Manchester in 2015.
After two successful defences, Smith came unstuck against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in 2016, but back-to-back wins against Liam Williams have put him back in world title reckoning.
Smith expects his size advantage to prove a decisive factor against Ali, who sent Miguel Cotto into retirement after beating the Puerto Rican at Madison Garden last December.
"I'm very happy that we've got this fight," said Smith.
"I'm looking forward to pitting myself against a good fighter in Sadam Ali, a former Olympian and now world champion who is coming off the back of a good win against Miguel Cotto.
"I'm confident going into this fight. I know I'm naturally the bigger man, and that will come into play, especially in the type of fight that I think it will be."
Ali's promoter Oscar De La Hoya insists his man will not be fazed by fighting someone of Smith's calibre.
He said: "Being in the ring with a hungry fighter with a world championship belt on his resume like Liam Smith will be nothing new to Ali. Sadam will prove yet again he's someone to watch out for in the division."
