Stephen Smith thrilled by world title shot at Jose Pedraza
Friday 4 March 2016 16:16, UK
Stephen Smith is confident he and Callum Smith can follow brother Liam by becoming world champions this year.
'Swifty' (23-1-KO13) will travel to the US to take on IBF world super-featherweight champion Jose Pedraza on April 16 and with Callum fighting in a WBC super-middleweight eliminator two weeks prior to that, the family prospects are bright.
Smith told Sky Sports: "To have three world champions this year would be special. Liverpool hadn't had a world champion in 23 years before Liam won his and now we could have three in one household. That'd be special.
"We're looking at doing it as a family. I've got every confidence in Callum and obviously I've got every confidence in myself. If we can do that then it would be up to Paul to see if he can work his way back to a world title shot.
We're looking at doing it as a family. I've got every confidence in Callum and obviously I've got every confidence in myself.
"I always thought the next time the IBF title was contested, I'd be in one of the corners. The frustrating thing was not knowing when - for training reasons and personally for friends and family wanting to book flights et cetera.
"I was always confident I'd fight for the title. It was just a matter of when. I'm happy now and I'm confident I'll become world champion on that date. I'll be confident wherever it is - a ring's a ring to me.
"I've seen him coming through along similar lines to me - he was an amateur when I was. He has always been talented but styles make fights. It could go different ways. He switch-hits and boxes a lot of rounds southpaw but I'm 100 per cent confident that whatever style he's in, I've got the style to beat him."
In his last bout, Pedraza clung on to his crown via a split decision victory over Edner Cherry (34-7-2-KO19) in Cincinnati - and Smith believes the Puerto Rican can count himself lucky to have retained his world champion status.
Smith said: "It was a very close fight and was one of those when the decision could have gone either way. Whoever won, the opposite side were going to argue. It was really close and you pick what you liked. Some people could say he was lucky to hold on to the title.
"He likes to be in his comfort zone. When Cherry made it more his fight, Pedraza seemed to have a bit of stubbornness and he tried to go with Cherry. He tried to mix it and it wasn't working for him. He didn't have the mental sharpness to stick to his own fight.
"He can be taken out of his rhythm. He showed a lot of frailties in that fight that can be exposed. I've watched all his performances and I'm very confident. If he gets in at his best and I get in at my best then I can be a world champion."
Assessing the super-featherweight division as a whole, Smith added: "I think Pedraza is better than Roman Martinez. Ricky Burns exposed Martinez. He's tough and strong. What you see is what you get and he's never going to change.
"Takashi Uchiyama has to be rated as the best for me. He's out there as No 1 because he has been champion for a long time and has beaten everyone who has challenged him. Vargas goes in second and then it's Pedraza and Martinez in my mind."
