"I was never going to get a voluntary shot" - Callum Smith on fighting in a WBC eliminator on the Anthony Joshua Oleksander Usyk II undercard

Former WBA World Super Middleweight Champion Callum Smith believes he has to become a mandatory challenger to get a title shot at light heavyweight. ‘Mundo’ will return to the ring against Mathieu Bauderlique on the Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksander Usyk II undercard.

In a recent interview on Matchroom Boxing, Smith said:

“It’s more so my experience at 168, I was coming through and I was undefeated. I was never going to be given a voluntary shot off any of the champions."

He added:

"That wasn’t being big headed, that was just so much risk with no reward, so I knew id have to get mandatory and I've just got the same mindset now, I don’t think anyone is going to turn around and say ‘Ok,well have a keep busy fight with Callum Smith’ its more Id have to force him to fight me. I'm not saying that they don’t want to fight me it is just a busy division.”

Watch the interview here:

At super middleweight, Smith did not have an easy journey to becoming the world champion. The Liverpudlian got his WBA trinket by defeating George Groves, who at the time was considered the best fighter in the division.

As such, ‘Mundo’ believes that he will have to force his way into an eliminator to get a shot at the world championship in his new weight-class. Smith's fight against Mathieu Bauderlique is a WBC final Eliminator.

Callum Smith is the No. 1 ranked light heavyweight by the WBC and Mathieu Bauderlique is ranked No. 2. Thus, it makes sense for the pair to fight in an eliminator.

Smith will be the favorite entering the bout and will hope to get back in the world title picture. Bauderlique is the current European Champion and has not fought above European level.

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Callum Smith wants to challenge WBC Champion Artur Beterbiev

Artur Beterbiev is the current WBC Light Heavyweight Champion.

He last fought in June in a title unification bout against Joe Smith Jr. The victory meant that Beterbiev is now the IBF, WBC, and WBO World Light heavyweight Champion.

Watch Beterbiev defeat Smith Jr.:

Beterbiev is likely to face a series of mandatory challenges next. Anthony Yarde is the WBO Mandatory Challenger, and Beterbiev is likely to face the Englishman next.

Yarde was linked to fight the winner of Beterbiev –Smith in the build-up to the bout. Yarde would also appear heavily around the fight to target Beterbiev.

Meanwhile, Callum Smith could look to challenge the Canadian-American boxer for his WBC title.