Paul Smith hopes for WBA 'regular' title shot as he targets Tyron Zeuge-Isaac Ekpo winner
Friday 27 January 2017 17:31, UK
Paul Smith hopes to receive a third world title fight and is targeting the winner when Tyron Zeuge defends his WBA 'regular' belt against Isaac Ekpo.
The 34-year-old super-middleweight has twice challenged for the WBO title, firstly suffering a controversial points defeat to Arthur Abraham, before enduring another unanimous decision loss in the rematch.
Smith has worked his way back into contention with three straight wins after being halted by Andre Ward in 2015 and intends to take a warm-up fight before a likely title shot.
"The WBA have ordered Tyron Zeuge to fight his mandatory, so the way I'm looking at it, the news I've had from my manager and from Eddie [Hearn] is I fight the winner," Smith told Sky Sports.
"I need to fight beforehand, so I'm looking at either March in Manchester or April in Liverpool, and then go straight into a world title fight then."
British rival George Groves is waiting to find out a date and venue for his fight with Fedor Chudinov for the WBA 'super' title and Smith could pave the way for a big domestic clash, if he wins the 'regular' belt.
"I have made no secret of the fact that I want to fight for the WBA title," said Smith. "There is one champion at the minute, that's Tyron Zeuge, and I would love to fight him.
That's the title that I want, the WBA title, and I just want to be world champion.
"If there is going to be a super title on the line for Groves and Chudinov, I would happily fight the winner of that, but I realistically want to fight the winner out of Zeuge and Ekpo. That's the title that I want, the WBA title, and I just want to be world champion.
"There are so many opportunities. I win a world title and that is every dream I've had achieved. All I want to do then is make a few quid."
