Callum Smith is set to take on Artur Beterbiev in a fight this summer, as he was forced to withdraw from the card in Liverpool due to injury.

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Smith is now expected to go straight into a huge summer showdown with light-heavyweight king Artur Beterbiev after Callum Smith was forced to withdraw from next week's card in Liverpool due to an injury sustained in training. The 32-year-old Liverpool fighter is facing up to eight weeks of rest before he can enter the ring again. Instead of rescheduling the Stepien fight, Smith is now expected to directly challenge the reigning WBC, WBO and IBF champion Beterbiev, who defeated Anthony Yarde in January to extend his remarkable 19-win streak, all by knockout. Eddie Hearn, Smith's promoter, has confirmed that 'Mundo' will go straight into the Beterbiev fight, as part of an intriguing light-heavyweight picture that includes WBA champion Dmitry Bivol.



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Smith is the mandatory challenger for the WBC title

Callum Smith is due to be in a summer face-off with light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, following an injury that has ruled him out of an upcoming card in Liverpool. The 32-year-old was supposed to fight Pawel Stepien at the M&S Bank Arena on 11 March, but was forced to withdraw this week due to an injury sustained during training, leading to a possible eight weeks of rest.

The show in Merseyside will proceed, with Diego Pacheco vs Jack Cullen and Robbie Davies Jr vs Darragh Foley co-headlining. As for Smith, his attention will now turn to the current WBC, WBO and IBF champion Beterbiev, who made a successful defense of his belts in London in January, extending his unbeaten record to 19 wins, all by knockout.

As the mandatory challenger for Beterbiev's WBC belt, Smith's promoter Eddie Hearn has declared that the fighter will look to jump straight into the world title fight, bypassing the Stepien fight.

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Beterbiev eventually broke down a resilient Yarde in January

Hearn stated that Smith probably would have preferred an in-between fight, but that the situation is what it is. He also described the card in Liverpool as still being great despite Smith's absence.

This forms a part of the exciting light-heavyweight picture, which also includes WBA champion Dmitry Bivol.

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