\u201cThe legend of the sport\u2019s most fearsome puncher, Artur Beterbiev, continues August 19 in beautiful Qu\u00e9bec City for a fight that can\u2019t help but be a light heavyweight championship classic,\u201d said Top Rank chairman\u00a0Bob\u00a0Arum. \u201cCallum Smith is a deserving mandatory challenger who won\u2019t be intimidated fighting on Artur\u2019s home turf<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Beterbiev said. \u201cWhen you are world champion, everyone wants the opportunity to take your belt, and that\u2019s especially true in my case, with three titles at stake. I\u2019ve already started my training camp, and I\u2019ll be ready to not only defend my belts, but to also put on an impressive show August 1<\/em>9.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith said, \u201cI\u2019m excited to finally get my opportunity to become a two-weight world champion. I\u2019m no stranger to fighting on away soil, having boxed in Saudi Arabia twice, across America, and now heading to Canada on August 19. There was no hesitation from me going to Canada to fight Artur Beterbiev, and I will be returning to Liverpool as a world champion once more<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Beterbiev, a two-time Olympian, has lived in Montreal since turning pro a decade ago. He has made seven world title defenses since toppling Enrico Koelling for the vacant IBF title in November 2017. Beterbiev picked up the WBC strap with a stirring 2019 knockout over Oleksandr Gvozdyk, then added the WBO title to his collection with last year\u2019s second-round drubbing of Joe Smith Jr. He\u2019s only fought once in Canada as world champion, a ninth-round TKO over Marcus Browne in December 2021. Beterbiev followed up the Smith triumph with January\u2019s thrilling eighth-round stoppage over Anthony Yarde in Yarde\u2019s hometown of London.<\/p>\n Smith\u00a0(29-1,\u00a021 KOs) is a former WBA super middleweight world champion who holds victories over George Groves, Hassan N\u2019Dam and John Ryder. His championship run came to an end in December 2019, when he lost a one-sided decision to pound-for-pound great Canelo Alvarez in a title unification tilt. Smith moved up to light heavyweight following the Canelo defeat and notched knockout victories over Gilbert Castillo Rivera and Mathieu Bauderlique.<\/p>\n The full card for the Beterbiev-Smith event, which will also feature undefeated super middleweight\u00a0Christian Mbilli<\/b>\u00a0(24-0, 20 KOs) and heavyweight puncher Simon Kean <\/b>(23-1, 22 KOs),<\/b> will be announced shortly. Local talents Wilkens Mathieu <\/b>(2-0, 1 KOs),\u00a0Le\u00efla Beaudoin <\/b>(9-1, 1 KO)\u00a0and Clovis Drolet <\/b>(13-1, 9 KOs)\u00a0will also fight in front of their hometown supporters.<\/p>\n Tickets for the August 19 event at the Videotron Centre go on sale tomorrow, May 26 at 12 p.m. ET via\u00a0www.ticketmaster.ca<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n # # #<\/p>\n MEDIA CONTACTS<\/b><\/p>\n Eye of the Tiger<\/b><\/p>\n Andr\u00e9anne Lambert: andreanne@eottm.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Top Rank<\/b><\/p>\n Evan Korn: 516-510-6014 \/\u00a0ekorn@toprank.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Melissa Takimoglu (UK):\u00a0melissa@toprank.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Gardy Lopez: 787-246-3668 \/\u00a0glopez@toprank.com\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Gabriel\u00a0Rivas: 310-237-8978 \/\u00a0gabriel@toprank.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Eye of Tiger<\/p>\n Andr\u00e9anne Lambert: andreanne@eottm.com<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wbcboxing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/3a1bede2-19b7-b0ab-c354-04af323643a6-1024x576.jpg\")
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