Joshua vs Ruiz Jr: Callum Smith aims to prove he is 'man to beat Canelo' at iconic Madison Square Garden
Watch Callum Smith vs Hasan N'Dam on the Joshua vs Ruiz Jr bill at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office
Wednesday 29 May 2019 20:41, UK
Callum Smith intends to show he is 'the man to beat Canelo' when he defends his WBC and WBA super middleweight titles in New York.
Smith defends belts against experienced Frenchman Hassan N'Dam on the undercard of Anthony Joshua's heavyweight title defence against Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Pound-for-pound star Canelo Alvarez targeted Smith as a potential opponent after dropping back down to middleweight to retain his IBF, WBA and WBC titles against Daniel Jacobs earlier this month.
"Everybody back home kind of knows who I am and what I'm about but it's a little different over here so it's a good chance and a good platform to show the US audience what I'm about and how good I am," Smith told Sky Sports.
"The potential massive fights for me, none of them will happen if I slip up at the weekend, so I'm fully focused on Hassan N'Dam.
"I've got a lot of respect for him as a fighter. He's a former world champion himself, it's a big opportunity to come here and beat me.
"I've got to be on my game and put in a performance that makes the American audience sit up and take notice of me and question why I am the man to beat Canelo and I've got to show them at the weekend.
"I've got a good game plan with Joe [Gallagher] that we worked in the gym on for weeks leading up to this and providing I listen and take it in the ring, then we feel we should get a good win and look good getting it."
The 29-year-old Liverpudlian's trainer Gallagher believes US fight fans will be keen to see undefeated Smith in action.
"When you have probably the best fighter in the world calling you out, a couple of weeks ago in Canelo Alvarez, I'm sure American audiences will be tuning in to see who this Callum Smith is," said Gallagher.
"Callum is one of the most exciting fighters in the world in my opinion at the moment. Every time he's been stepped up, he's always won in sensational fashion, the British title, the European title and beating George Groves in seven rounds to become the No 1 in the world."
Watch Callum Smith vs Hasan N'Dam on the Joshua vs Ruiz Jr bill at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office
