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Former world champion Liam Smith is hoping that his upcoming fight against Hassan Mwakinyo will lead to a world title shot.
Smith returns before his home fans, this Saturday, when he faces Mwakinyo at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.
The Liverpool fighter was in action back in April, when he stopped former champ Jessie Vargas in ten rounds.
“I’ve had that with many opponents, Anthony Fowler, I’ve had that in my career and I’ve always said I’m from too good a family and too good a gym to overlook anybody,” Smith told Sky Sports. “You’ll see that by the shape I’m in Saturday night.
“I know this will give Hassan an extra 10 per cent fighting me, I’ve sparred with him in the past and I know he’s going to come. This is his world title fight, he takes all my rankings. For me, this puts me up in the rankings maybe up into one of the mandatory shots or if the belts become vacant then I’ll challenge for a vacant title. This is all on my path to fighting for a world title again.”
Mwakinyo is 20-2 (14 KOs), back in 2018, brutally knocked out Sam Eggington in two rounds. And last September, he blasted out former world champion Julius Indongo in four rounds.
“He’s a dangerous opponent, heavy handed, has had some good wins and good wins on British soil but I’m not any of the other Brits, I’m the best 154 in Britain and I’m hoping to become a two-time world champion,” added Smith.
“I fully intend on dealing with Hassan the way I should, the way I feel I should be level wise, I think I’ll do a good job and show I’m levels above this level.”
The man Smith really wants is Chris Eubank Jr. – who on October 8th will collide with Conor Benn in a catch-weight fight.
Smith is willing face Eubank next if he deals with Benn.
“I wanted a huge fight [when I joined BOXXER] regardless of who it may be, whether it was a world title, Chris Eubank or anything,” Smith said. “I felt I was in a position, was on a roll, I’m still on a roll for a big fight and I’ve got one back at home.
“Whether Eubank comes next or not is up to other people, everybody knows I’d have taken that fight next, I’d take it next again if he beats Conor Benn. I’ll take that whenever, I’ll fight Chris Eubank tomorrow so it’s out there, they know that, Chris knows that, we’ll see what comes after Hassan.”