Callum Smith glad for Buatsi firefight but doesn't want many more

Callum Smith may have earned plaudits for his grueling February victory over Joshua Buatsi, but the WBO interim heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight champion has no appetite for many more fights like it.

Smith outpointed Buatsi over 12 rounds in a technical war on the undercard of Dmitry Bivol's rematch with Artur Beterbiev earlier this year. The fight drew praise from observers but was overshadowed in year-end awards by later bouts like Chris Eubank Jr–Conor Benn and Abdullah Mason–Sam Noakes, according to The Ring.

Smith prefers skill over slugfests

"I'd watch those fights, I wouldn't want to be involved in them," Smith told The Ring when asked about Fight of the Year contenders. "I was, it's been and done now but don't want too many more of them." The 35-year-old Liverpudlian, who won the British Boxing Board of Control's Fighter of the Year award in 2019, said he would rather rely on his boxing brain than engage in repeated wars.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has floated a potential Buatsi rematch as Smith's first defense should Bivol vacate the WBO belt to pursue fights with Beterbiev or David Benavidez. Smith acknowledged the February bout earned recognition — "it's probably the first thing that gets mentioned" when fans approach him — but said he is content to finish his career without adding a Fight of the Year trophy to his collection.

"I'm happy we played our parts and it was a great fight," Smith said, per The Ring. "It's good to get recognition for that but don't want to be in too many of them." The WBO recently ordered Bivol to defend against Smith, though the Russian champion remains linked to bigger matchups at 175 pounds.

Source: ringmagazine.com