WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. (27-3, 21 KOs) will make the long-awaited first defense of his world title against Callum Johnson (20-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday, Jan. 15 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. Smith-Johnson kicks off the Top Rank on ESPN 2022 schedule. Smith was supposed to defend his title Oct. 30 in New York City, but a COVID-19 diagnosis delayed his return to 2022.
Joe Smith: “I am glad to be getting back into the ring as quickly as I am to defend my WBO world championship after having COVID. It is not the fight the fans or I expected, but this will be an explosive fight between two huge punchers. I look forward to facing Johnson and defending my belt in front of my fans, as well as putting on a great show for the ones watching at home.”
Callum Johnson: “Joe is a good world champion, and we’re both big punchers. I’m looking forward to it as much as I’m sure he will be. I also would like to thank Frank Warren and the team at Queensberry, who said they would deliver me a world title shot. They’ve done their job, and now it’s time for me to do my job in the ring and become the new WBO light heavyweight champion.”
In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, the undefeated Abraham “El Super” Nova (20-0, 14 KOs) will face Jose Enrique Vivas (21-1, 11 KOs).
The undercard will see the long-awaited professional return of Cincinnati-born featherweight Duke Ragan (4-0, 1 KO), who captured a silver medal for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics. Long Island-born welterweight sensation Jahi Tucker (5-0, 2 KOs), Puerto Rican junior welterweight Omar Rosario (5-0, 2 KOs) and rising junior welterweight Kasir “Mazzi” Goldston (4-0, 1 KOs), are scheduled to appear in separate six-round bouts.
This is an excellent matchup. If Call wants this bad enough, he can win it.
Think he has a good chance-Smith might be overrated because of that victory over an aging Hopkins.
Bernard Hopkins is a shoo-in for the Boxing Hall of Fame. As for Joe Smith, (in my opinion) he WILL be remembered as an extremely formidable puncher who knocked the “aging Hopkins” out of the ring. Hopkins’ long and brilliant career makes him (in my opinion) one of the greatest fighters of his era — and history itself. But that’s where my respect screeches to a halt. He displayed absolutely no class as a decent human being with his repeated racial insults that he hurled publicly at Joe Calzaghe — who’s unblemished career made him, as well, a shoo-in to the BHF. He taunted the Welshman by calling him a “White BOY” — an extremely offensive term, as we all know well. But the Welshman defeated him nonetheless. Not being held accountable for his racist insults towards Calzaghe, he did the same thing to his White opponent Joe Smith. To his credit, Smith returned not the insults, but chose, instead, to put a heavy exclamation point upon his victory, by blasting Hopkins completely out of the ring — and permanently retired the racist from the sport. I hate double-standards — especially societal ones.
Are you kidding me he had 3 tough fights mor the anyone in the division 1Jessie Hart (who would beat Callum with movement and his right hand) 2 elaider Alvarez will beat callum just with his right hand
3 Maxim Vlasov will beat callum just with pure Volume
So Smith isn’t over-rated he is tough