Callum Smith vs. Pawel Stepien | DAZN - 11 March 2023

[Ruthless-RKO]

Smith is headlining the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

Expected undercard fights include Liam Paro vs. Robbie Davies jr.

Zelfa Barrett to appear on the card.

Johnny Fisher also expected.

[keithmoonhangover]

Smith is headlining the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

Expected undercard fights include Liam Paro vs. Robbie Davies jr.

Zelfa Barrett to appear on the card.

Johnny Fisher also expected.

Callum is a beast @ 175. He would pummel Yarde all over the parish.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

SOURCES: Diego Pacheco vs Jack Cullen Fight Agreed For March 11 In Liverpool

Diego Pacheco To Make UK Debut As Jack Cullen Earns Chance To Upset Leading Prospect

One of the world’s leading prospects, 21-year-old Californian Diego Pacheco (17-0, 14 KOs) will make his UK debut in his next fight against fan favourite, Little Lever’s Jack Cullen (21-3-1, 9 KOs), sources tell NoSmokeBoxing.

Pacheco vs Cullen will land on the undercard of a Matchroom Boxing show that will take place on March 11 at the 9,000-capacity M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England live on DAZN.

The headliner will be former world super middleweight champion Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) against an undetermined opponent. Smith is the WBC’s mandatory challenger at a 175-pounds and is guaranteed the winner of Artur Beterbiev vs Anthony Yarde, which takes place on Jan 28 in Wembley, with no exceptions.

Smith is expected to have a ‘keep busy’ fight against a top 15 light heavyweight before going into a unified title challenge against either Beterbiev or Yarde.

Pacheco had a very successful 2022 with four outings resulting in him capturing and defending the WBC US Super Middleweight title. The highly-touted prospect will hope to repeat this activity in 2023 and earn a slot on another Canelo Alvarez card to further boost his growing profile.

Cullen only managed one fight in 2022, a comeback against Vladimir Belujsky (12-3-1). A British title challenge against Mark Heffron was in the works for the Sep 24 Joyce-Parker card but didn’t materialise in the end. Cullen will start a heavy underdog against Pacheco but he’s upset a top prospect before and will look to do so again.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[maverick23]

2 really good undercard fights where I’d be favouring the away fighters.

Hopefully it doesn’t mean Smith is in with someone poor.

[Ruthless-RKO]

2 really good undercard fights where I’d be favouring the away fighters.

Hopefully it doesn’t mean Smith is in with someone poor.

The longer they wait to announce it, the less expectations I have.

[mickey1975]

2 really good undercard fights where I’d be favouring the away fighters.

Hopefully it doesn’t mean Smith is in with someone poor.

They're not really away fighters. Matchroom and DAZN both want them to win.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[CaptainSpacerod]

Smith’s a big local name to help fans fill the arena but let’s be honest he’s semi retired. He realised he was on the slide when Ryder beat him and so he decided to cash out against Canelo, failing to put up as good a show against him as his much smaller brother did.

Since then he’s fought two comparative nobodies in two years. I don’t think Callum wants anything to do with the current bumper crop of UK 175lb fighters and he’ll just let his career fizzle out fighting anonymous fighters who are no threat to him.

[mickey1975]

Smith’s a big local name to help fans fill the arena but let’s be honest he’s semi retired. He realised he was on the slide when Ryder beat him and so he decided to cash out against Canelo, failing to put up as good a show against him as his much smaller brother did.

Since then he’s fought two comparative nobodies in two years. I don’t think Callum wants anything to do with the current bumper crop of UK 175lb fighters and he’ll just let his career fizzle out fighting anonymous fighters who are no threat to him.

Johnny Fisher is 100% there to help fill the arena.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Should really be announcing an opponent for Smith now.

I’ve already lost hope, but the longer they’re leaving it.

Any rumours?

[rd350lc]

What's the score with Smith's terrible inactivity ?

[skanksta]

All depends which TBA turns up....

[daz74]

Smith’s a big local name to help fans fill the arena but let’s be honest he’s semi retired. He realised he was on the slide when Ryder beat him and so he decided to cash out against Canelo, failing to put up as good a show against him as his much smaller brother did.

Since then he’s fought two comparative nobodies in two years. I don’t think Callum wants anything to do with the current bumper crop of UK 175lb fighters and he’ll just let his career fizzle out fighting anonymous fighters who are no threat to him.

Wasn’t Smith’s last fight an Eliminator to become WBC Mandatory ? Hardly call that a Nobody. And the guy before he sparked out into a Mini Fit. I rate Smith.

[margaret thatcher]

the last guy was a respectable ebu level guy, was a solid win, but defo well short of beating a top guy. not many people really care much about beating matty balderlique. even with a mandatory spot it's kinda just been 'meh' for smith's 175 career so far

[Bigdogsnose]

Cant understand why the Buatsi fight cant be made. Smith, at his age, needs a proper fight pretty much every fight.

As for Buatsi, hes fast becoming a waste of space. Either fight top ranked guys2-3 times a year to force a world title, or take the big moneys domestics on offer. Hes doing sweet FA at the minute.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I just read that he might be fighting Pawel Stepien (18-0-1, 12 KOs).

All his fights have been in Poland. Not fought anyone I've heard off.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Callum Smith vs Pawel Stepien Possible For March 11 In Liverpool

Former world super middleweight champion, Liverpool’s Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) will return to the ring on March 11 at Liverpool’s 9,000-capacity M&S Bank Arena (formerly Echo Arena) live on DAZN.

NoSmokeBoxing has learnt that one option for Smith is Poland’s unbeaten, world-ranked contender Pawel Stepien (18-0-1, 12 KOs). Stepien is ranked in 3 governing bodies: #7 with the IBF, and #15 with both the WBA and the WBO.

Stepien has notable decision wins over Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna and Marek Matyja. Maderna upset prospect Karol Itauma on the Beterbiev-Yarde undercard whilst Matyja gave Craig Richards a competitive fight early, when they met in Oct 2021, before being stopped in the sixth round.

Smith is the WBC’s mandatory challenger at 175 and told Sky Sports that he intends to push for his shot at the unified light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) for Beterbiev’s next fight.”I’ve done my part. I’ve become mandatory so I can sit and wait and fight for three of the belts.”

The Liverpudlian stopped France’s WBC #2 Mathieu Bauderlique in a final eliminator on the Usyk-Joshua 2 undercard to earn his shot.

Smith is confident that, despite being a sizeable underdog, he can pull off the upset. “I’ve seen other fighters hurt him and put him over, I fully believe I can. I’m in my peak years now and the time to beat him is now.”

Callum Smith’s promoter Eddie Hearn has previously told Boxing Social that he wants to stage a fight between Mundo and Beterbiev at the 53,000-capacity Anfield Stadium in Liverpool.

However, Hearn may have to win a purse bid to take the fight to Anfield or to stage it on DAZN at all. Beterbiev’s promoter Bob Arum may want to place that fight in Canada or the United States and with a 70-30 split in favour of the Canadian-Russian at purse bids, it will be easier for them to do so.

On the undercard, Britain’s Robbie Davies Jr (23-3, 15 KOs) and Australia’s Liam Paro (23-0, 14 KOs) will meet in a super lightweight contest. Leading prospect, 21-year-old Californian Diego Pacheco (17-0, 14 KOs) will make his UK debut against fan favourite, Little Lever’s Jack Cullen (21-3-1, 9 KOs).

[mickey1975]

Rent a crowd Fisher will be earning his money that night.

[garethhop]

Boxxer running a show in Liverpool on 25 March 2023 is interesting. Either a massive error or they are going to try and trump the DAZN show with a better card. Hmmmm,.........

[Ruthless-RKO]

Boxxer running a show in Liverpool on 25 March 2023 is interesting. Either a massive error or they are going to try and trump the DAZN show with a better card. Hmmmm,.........

Nathan Heaney vs. Jack Flatley II is 25th too..

[mickey1975]

Cant understand why the Buatsi fight cant be made. Smith, at his age, needs a proper fight pretty much every fight.

As for Buatsi, hes fast becoming a waste of space. Either fight top ranked guys2-3 times a year to force a world title, or take the big moneys domestics on offer. Hes doing sweet FA at the minute.

Buatsi is out of contract. Add to that his presence on BT last week and the fact he must be wondering how on earth Yarde has fought for the world title twice and he can’t be happy. Hearn has started going on about matching rights again…

[garethhop]

This show is in 5 weeks time. Surely has to be announced formally in next 24 hours?

Assume the hold up is all around AJ, DAZN and whether that fight will be free to DAZN subscribers so they can go heavy on a positive PR story?

[joshj909]

Pawel Stepien. An uninspiring opponent