Search
3 minutes read

Joshua Buatsi Vs. Callum Smith: The British Fight Set To Push The Winner To World Title Reckoning

The British Fight Set To Push The Winner To World Title Reckoning featured image
WBO light-heavyweight interim champion Joshua Buatsi (left) and former WBO super middleweight champion Callum Smith are up for fight of their careers as they prepare to face each other on February 22, 2025, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

February 22 might become boxing’s most prevalent fighting card in the history of the sport with several title fights set to occur between the sport’s most renowned fighters. Participating on the undercard is the no-less-prevalent domestic bout between British light-heavyweight contenders Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith. With Buatsi’s WBO 175-pound interim title on the line, the winner might yet be the next in line to fight for all the marbles, depending on the outcome of the Beterbiev-Bivol bout which will headline the February 22 card.

While Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KO’s) and Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KO’s) are set to engage in the biggest light-heavyweight contest as the two aim to settle the controversy of last year’s match, the same night will feature Joshua Buatsi (19-0, 13 KO’s) and Callum Smith (30-2, 22 KO’s) competing for the WBO interim light-heavyweight (175 lbs) title.

This is a significant match for more than just one reason. If a trilogy bout following the conclusion of the Beterbiev-Bivol rematch will not occur, it is likely the winner will defend his titles against any of the available challengers who they may be mandated against. This pinpoints two possible future world title challengers; the winner of the upcoming February 1 bout between light-heavyweights David Benavidez (29-0, 24 KO’s) and David Morrell (11-0, 9 KO’s), or the winner between Buatsi and Smith.

Benavidez is currently in possession of the WBC interim title while Morrell holds the WBA “regular” title, thereby allowing the winner between them to become the most distinguished contender at 175-pounds. Whoever comes out on top will hold two of the highest-rated secondary titles between the WBA and WBC, certifying them as the best contender around.

However, both the WBA and WBC have had spotty histories with affording their secondary champions opportunities to fight for a world title, especially as it concerns Benavidez and Morrell. Benavidez’ case is well-noted, with him having been the WBC interim super middleweight (168 lbs) champion since 2022 but after going more than two years without gaining the opportunity to face then-undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KO’s), Benavidez was forced to move up a division.

Morrell has a similar history, having obtained the WBA “regular” title in 2021 yet this belt itself gave him no perceivable chance to fight the WBA “super champion”, which was also Canelo Alvarez, over the course of the next three years until he too moved up to light-heavyweight.

Given the tendency by the WBA and WBC to neglect their secondary champions, the winner between Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith is expected to be offered a higher chance of fighting the Beterbiev-Bivol II winner. This is especially the case given WBO interim champions generally receive a fairer shake to fight for a genuine world title―except for the heavyweight (200+ lbs) division in which the WBO interim title has switched hands twice so far without any holder receiving the opportunity to become a world champion.

Further bolstering the Buatsi-Smith winner’s chances of getting a world title is the fact their bout is a part of Riyadh Season, same as the main event between Bivol and Beterbiev, which could spur Riyadh Season organizer and General Entertainment Authority (GEA) chairman Turki Alalshikh to prioritize a “winner vs. winner” match that could see the Beterbiev-Bivol and Buatsi-Smith bouts connect together in a subsequent Riyadh Season card.

Then there is the significance of the bout between Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith being one of the most prevalent British light-heavyweight bouts in recent memory, which is guaranteed to catapult the winner as the best 175-pounder in the UK.

Of course, a trilogy bout between Beterbiev and Bivol could ruin the chances of any challenger to fight for a world title, though this might also enable a potential bout that will feature the winners between Benavidez-Morrell and Buatsi-Smith―depending on the involvement of Turki Alalshikh who appears to be the only stakeholder in boxing with the means to create such a distinguished match-up.

share