Eddie Hearn teases 'big fight' for Callum Smith next year as two-weight world champion vow made

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn has revealed Callum Smith will be involved in 'a big, big fight' early next year - provided he comes through his return bout tomorrow night. Smith will return to the ring tonight when he takes on Colombia's Carlos Galvan on the undercard of the showdown between Sunny Edwards and Galal Yafai.

The former WBA and Ring super-middleweight world champion will be fighting for the first time since his defeat to undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev in January. It was suggested following the defeat to Beterbiev that 'Mundo' might decide to call time on his boxing career, and while Hearn admits he did fear a retirement announcement might be coming, he is delighted his fighter has decided to carry on.

“Callum has done it all: won the world championship at 168, won the Ring Magazine belt, fought Canelo Alvarez, moved up to light heavyweight, fought Artur Beterbiev for the unified world title,” he said.

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“When he came up short in Quebec, I wasn’t sure if we’d see him again; he’s made a lot of money, he’s got a lovely life. Sometimes you need that time to reflect and your stomach and your heart will tell you what to do next. You just need that time.

“What happened was, he was sitting on the sofa, watching the boxing on TV: ‘I’m not done yet; I feel like I’ve got great performances in me, I feel like I’ve got a world championship in me.’”

Hearn then continued: “He’ll return in an eight-round fight, get rid of the cobwebs from the Beterbiev fight, and then he’s straight in. Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yarde, Lyndon Arthur, even Dmitry Bivol, any of these big opportunities at 175.

“Just one little run out, which will be next week, and after that, anyone you want. I'm excited. Sometimes it feels like a new signing [when fighters come back].

“We’ve been with Callum since his professional debut, so we’re looking forward to the run out in Birmingham – then he will be in a big, big fight in Q1 of 2025."

Opening up on his return to the ring, Smith said: "It’s good to be back. Activity is key and it’s something I haven’t had over the past five years or so and that’s killed my momentum.

"I’ve decided that I want to give it another proper go and I want to get active, get the ball rolling this weekend and then it puts me in a good position going into the new year and into any fight that is offered.

"I believe I’m good enough to be a two-weight world champion, I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t believe that and the journey starts again on Saturday.

"I’ve always set the bar high and I’ve never been motivated by money, it’s always been about being the best and being a World champion.

"I knew that the belts were going to be tied up for the foreseeable future, opportunities didn’t look like they were going to be there to get one again, so I thought if I can’t be the best I don’t want to do it anymore.

"I took time away to reflect and it looks like the belts might be spreading out in the near future, so there’s still fights out there for me and I do believe I am good enough to be a two-weight World champion, and I would have kicked myself if I didn’t give it another good go to try to achieve it. So we get the ball rolling and I definitely believe I will be a World champion again next year."