Callum Smith 27-1 (19) wants a second crack at Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 56-1-2 (38) at his new weight of 175-pounds.
The 31-year-old Brit from Liverpool lost his WBA super middleweight title to Alvarez by wide unanimous decision in San Antonio, Texas last December.
Alvarez, 31, made it his number one priority to unify all four major titles at super middleweight after moving up from 160-pounds. He currently holds the WBC, WBA and WBO belts with a fight against IBF titleholder Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant 21-0 (12) pending in November.
Victory over Plant could see Alvarez looking north to light heavyweight for new challenges. He has fought at the weight once already, a hit-and-run mission against Sergey Kovalev 34-4-1 (29) to claim the WBO strap by 11th round knockout in [MONTH] last year.
Smith says he would jump at the chance to face Alvarez again despite the one-sided nature of his loss in their first encounter.
“I do believe I’m good enough to be a two-weight world champion,” Smith said to Boxing Social.
“I think I can do it. I’d love a rematch. He beat me and beat me well, no excuses, but I do believe we’ll see a better version of me at 175.
“That’s my only regret on the fight that we never saw the best version of me in with him. I didn’t perform on the night and that’s that. That’s on me.
“If I were offered the fight at 175, I’d jump at it if I was a world champion. I’m not going to hold my breath on that one.
“I do believe he’ll move up at some point and I think he’ll go wherever he wants to.
“I think we’ll see a better version of me at 175. I think we’ll see a better version of [Canelo] at 175 and you’ll definitely see a better version of me.”
Smith is set to return to the ring against former world title challenger Lenin Castillo 21-3-1 (16) on the undercard of heavyweight title fight between champion Anthony Joshua 24-1 (22) and challenger Oleksandr Usyk 18-0 (13) at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in Tottenham, England on September 25. He will have new trainer Buddy McGirt in his corner.
Castillo came up short against WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol 18-0 (11) when they met in Chicago two years ago.
“He’s a good fighter. He’s tall and has a good jab, and he’s heavy-handed,” Smith said. “He was making Bivol have to work each round.
“It’s a good fight. It’s not like I’m coming and beating a journeyman. I’m facing a good fighter that has boxed for a world title, so it’s a good step in the division and brings me one step closer to where I want to be.
“You always want to make a statement, but this is about getting back to your winning ways. I want to have a good relationship with Buddy and I believe it’ll end with me being a world champion.”
Smith sees a world championship shot in his future. Along with Bivol, Russian powerhouse Artur Beterbiev 16-0 (16) holds the WBA and IBF titles while American Joe Smith Jr 27-3 (21) reigns as the WBO boss.
“If I beat Lenin Castillo, my next fight is for the world title,” he said. “If I have to have one more or two more [fights] that will be down to my team.
“My sights are on the three champions. Whoever they put in front of me, I believe I’ll beat to do so.
“I’m aiming for the top three and I’ll beat whoever I have to for me to get there. Bivol is with Matchroom so that’s the easiest one to make. Joe Smith is with Top Rank.
“I do believe I can beat any of them.”
