Undefeated unified WBC, WBO and IBF light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev has a new date made official for his next fight scheduled for Saturday, January 13 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada where he faces former super middleweight world champion Callum Smith. The pair was initially set to battle it out on August 19, but the bout fell off after the champion suffered a bone infection to his jaw that required surgery.
“It’s a few months later than originally planned, but I am thrilled that Artur Beterbiev will have a chance to defend his titles in front of the incredible Quebec City fans,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Artur has a clean bill of health, and I know Callum, a supremely talented former champion, will be at his best on January 13th.”
“I’m very pleased that the camps came to an agreement quickly, so we can go ahead with this light heavyweight championship super fight,” said Eye of the Tiger president Camille Estephan. “It’s going to heat up this January in Quebec City.”
Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith
Three-belt champion Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) last fought in January in London, where he scored the eighth-round stoppage against Anthony Yarde and made the first successful defense of his unified titles. In June 2022 in New York, the 38-year-old won the championship unification via second-round TKO against Joe Smith Jr, retained the WBC and IBF belts and took the WBO strap.
Montreal-based knockout artist last fought in Canada in December 2021, when he KO’d Marcus Browne in Round 9 in front of his hometown crowd. His most recent fight in Québec City goes back to April 2015, when he KO’d Gabriel Campillo in Round 4.
Former WBA super middleweight champion Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) last fought in August 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he KO’d Mathieu Bauderlique in the fourth round and secured his second win in a row. In September 2021 in London, the 33-year-old stopped Lenin Castillo in Round 2.
Late 2020, the native of Liverpool, England suffered his first career defeat and lost the belt, when he dropped a unanimous decision against Canelo Alvarez in their championship unification in San Antonio, Texas.
In the UK and Australia, Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith airs live on Sunday, January 14.
