QUEBEC CITY — Artur Beterbiev got here in on the 175-pound restrict for the eighth protection of his gentle heavyweight titles, whereas challenger Callum Smith got here in slightly below the restrict at 174.6 kilos.
The combat, which might be contested for the WBC, IBF and WBA belts held by Beterbiev (19-0, 19 knockouts), will happen at Centre Videotron, Quebec Metropolis, Canada, and might be broadcast reside in the USA on ESPN and ESPN+, with the principle broadcast starting at 10 p.m. ET.
Beterbiev, 38, is a local of Khasavyurt, Russia however lives and trains three hours away in Montreal. The combat might be his first in nearly a 12 months, when he stopped Anthony Yarde in eight rounds.
Artur Beterbiev and @CallumSmith23 face off after making weight for his or her gentle heavyweight championship combat #BeterbievSmith pic.twitter.com/TyveIIjXCb
— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) January 12, 2024
The Beterbiev-Smith combat was initially scheduled for August 19, however was postponed after Beterbiev underwent surgical procedure for a bone an infection in his jaw.
Smith (29-1, 21 knockouts)is seeking to turn into a world champion in a second weight class after holding the WBA tremendous middleweight belt from 2018 till struggling his lone defeat in 2020, a unanimous choice loss to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Since then he has two straight towards lesser opposition.
Smith of Liverpool, United Kingdom can be coming off vital inactivity, having final fought in August of 2022 when he knocked out Mathieu Bauderlique.
The co-main occasion will characteristic a brilliant middleweight showdown between Christian Mbili (25-0, 21 KOs) of Pornic, France and Rohan Murdock (27-2, 19 KOs), 31, of Nerang, Australia. Mbili weighed 167.3 kilos whereas Murdock weighed 167.6 kilos.
.@JasonMoloney1 weighs 117.5 kilos for his first protection of the WBO bantamweight title, whereas challenger Saul Sanchez weighs 117.8 kilos. The 2 received in each other’s face and shared some parting phrases earlier than tomorrow’s combat #BeterbievSmith pic.twitter.com/40JvDjUJgg
— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) January 12, 2024
The undercard, which is able to start streaming on ESPN+ at 5:30 p.m. ET, might be headlined by WBO bantamweight titleholder Jason Moloney (26-2, 19 KOs) making his first protection of his belt towards Saul Sanchez (20-2, 12 KOs). Sanchez, 26, of Pacoima, Calif. weighed in at 117.8 kilos, whereas Moloney, 33, of New South Wales, Australia weighed 117.5 kilos.
