Smith vs Ryder: Callum Smith in line for Anfield unification showdown
Eddie Hearn: "Callum Smith, in 2020, is looking at all the career-defining fights."
Monday 30 September 2019 15:49, UK
Callum Smith can land a massive domestic clash with Billy Joe Saunders or a unification clash with WBC champion David Benavidez, if he makes a triumphant homecoming on November 23.
Smith faces mandatory challenger John Ryder in front of his hometown fans when he makes the second defence of his WBA 'super' title at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, live on Sky Sports.
Ambitious plans are in place for Smith to fight at Anfield in May, potentially against Saunders, who defends his WBO belt in Los Angeles on November 9, while the Merseysider also holds the WBC 'Diamond' belt, which could be the key to a clash with newly-crowned WBC king Benavidez.
"Callum Smith, in 2020, is looking at all the career-defining fights," said Hearn. "Obviously we've got Billy Joe Saunders now with Matchroom on Sky and that's a unification fight that could be made quite easily.
"You've got David Benavidez, which is a fight we've written to the WBC, and requested them to order now.
"So 2020 is going to be great, but as we know in boxing anything can happen and [there is] full focus on him for the 23rd [of November], but certainly 2020, leads to massive fights for Callum Smith."
Smith (26-0, KOs 19), rated as the No 1 fighter in the 168lbs division, will fight for the first time as world champion on home turf after blowing away Hassan N'Dam in three rounds last time out on the Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Jr undercard in New York in June.
"I said when I turned professional I believed I was good enough to win a world title and bring the world title back to the city and this is it now my chance to perform in front of my own fans," said Smith.
"I want to see how good I am and test myself against some of the biggest names in the division and the biggest names in boxing and I can't do that if I lose to John Ryder.
"People are always talking about 175lbs and it is an option, I'd love to be a two-weight champion. But I want to clear up at super-middleweight and unify the division. If I can do that the next goal will be undisputed.
"I'm in a division where there are four undefeated champions and if you've got a belt in my weight division then you're part of my plans."
Ryder (28-4, KOs 16) has rattled off four stoppage wins since losing to Rocky Fielding in a British title clash in 2017 and secured the interim belt by stopping Bilal Akkawy in three rounds on the Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez-Daniel Jacobs undercard in Las Vegas in May.
"The Akkaway fight was a box ticked. It was a dream to box in Vegas on such a prestigious card but this a real dream now - a world title fight," said Londoner Ryder.
"He's a great champion, he beat a great champion to become champion. He's not just gone and won a vacant title, he's gone and beat a champion and he is the world No 1 and I want to test myself against the best."
