Callum Smith
Callum John Smith (born 23 April 1990) is a British professional boxer from Liverpool, England, known for his towering stature at 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) and his powerful punching style in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.[1][2] As the youngest of four boxing brothers—Paul, Stephen, and Liam—all of whom turned professional, Smith debuted in 2012 and quickly rose through the ranks, capturing the British super middleweight title in 2015 and the European title in 2016.[2][1] In 2018, he won the WBA (Super) super middleweight world title by defeating George Groves in the World Boxing Super Series final, a seventh-round knockout that marked his entry into global prominence.[3][1] He defended the belt once against John Ryder via unanimous decision in 2019 before suffering his first professional loss to Saul "Canelo" Álvarez in December 2020, a third-round stoppage that unified Álvarez's titles.[4][5] Transitioning to light heavyweight in 2021, Smith secured a second-round knockout victory over Lenin Castillo in his debut at 175 pounds, rebuilding momentum with wins including a unanimous decision over Mathieu Bauderlique in 2022.[1] His second career loss came against Artur Beterbiev in January 2024 via seventh-round TKO, but he rebounded with a fifth-round TKO over Carlos Galvan in November 2024 before capturing the WBO interim light heavyweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Joshua Buatsi on 22 February 2025, bringing his professional record to 31 wins (22 by knockout), 2 losses, and 0 draws as of November 2025.[6][1][7] Nicknamed "Mundo" (inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Smith remains a prominent figure in British boxing, celebrated for his resilience and family legacy in the sport.[3][8]Early life and background
Family and upbringing
Callum John Smith was born on 23 April 1990 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England.[9] He is the youngest of four brothers—Paul, Stephen, Liam, and Callum—all professional boxers who have collectively held multiple British titles and challenged for world championships, establishing the Smiths as one of Britain's most notable boxing families.[10][11] The family grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Liverpool, where economic challenges were common but community ties ran deep, fostering resilience and a strong emphasis on discipline.[11][12] From an early age, Callum was immersed in boxing through his brothers' involvement, watching their training sessions and amateur bouts at local gyms like Rotunda ABC, which ignited his passion for the sport amid the family's everyday routines.[9][12] While Smith attended local schools in Liverpool during his childhood, the pervasive influence of his siblings' dedication to boxing quickly overshadowed other youthful interests, steering his focus toward athletic development within the family dynamic.[12]Entry into boxing
Callum Smith was introduced to boxing by his family, particularly influenced by his three older brothers—Paul, Stephen, and Liam—who were already established in the sport, and he began training at the renowned Rotunda ABC gym in Liverpool at a young age.[9][13] At Rotunda ABC, Smith trained under local coaches, building his foundational skills through rigorous sessions and participation in introductory club-level exhibitions that helped him adapt to the demands of the ring.[14][15] Standing at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) with a 78 in (198 cm) reach, Smith developed a signature style during these early years that emphasized his physical advantages as an orthodox fighter, allowing him to control distance and deliver powerful punches from range.[1] His first competitive amateur bouts came around the age of 16 in 2007, marking the start of a junior career where he secured regional successes in Liverpool-area competitions up to age 18, laying the groundwork for his later national achievements.[16]Amateur career
Key amateur achievements
Smith amassed an impressive amateur record of 24 wins and 11 losses while representing Rotunda ABC in Liverpool, with a focus on advancing through weight divisions at the national level.[17][18] He began his title-winning run by capturing the ABA Junior Championships in 2007 at 64kg, defeating Douglas Price in the final in Cardiff, and repeating the feat in 2008 at 66kg, defeating Davey Docherty in the final held in Liverpool.[12][19] That same year, Smith earned gold at the British Youth Championships in the 69kg category in Edinburgh, overcoming opponents including Jordan Crook in the final.[20] At the senior level, Smith claimed the 2010 Great Britain welterweight title and followed with the 2011 middleweight crown, both under the GB Boxing banner.[17][2] These victories highlighted his domestic dominance and technical prowess. Smith also competed in European junior and senior events, participating in qualifiers and tournaments that exposed him to high-level international opposition. During his tenure in the elite GB Boxing program based in Sheffield, he attended rigorous training camps and sparred regularly with top amateurs, including Kazakh prospects, refining his skills against diverse styles.[21][22] This preparation paved the way for his transition to professional boxing in 2012.Major tournaments
Smith's most prominent amateur international competition was the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, where he competed in the welterweight (69 kg) division and secured a silver medal.[18] In the preliminaries, he defeated Ritiati Betero of Kiribati and Cameron Hammond of Australia, both by unanimous decision.[18] Advancing to the quarterfinals, Smith outpointed Aston Brown of Scotland, followed by a semifinal victory over Carl Hield of Bahrain to reach the final.[18] There, he faced Paddy Gallagher of Northern Ireland and lost on points, earning silver after a strong run that showcased his technical skill and power against Commonwealth opposition.[18][23] The following year, Smith moved up to light heavyweight (81 kg) for the 2012 European Olympic Qualification Tournament in Trabzon, Turkey, where he claimed bronze but ultimately failed to secure a spot in the London Olympics.[18] He began with wins over Mladen Manev of Bulgaria (16-13) and Bosko Draskovic of Montenegro in the preliminaries, then defeated Imre Szello of Hungary in the quarterfinals.[18] His campaign ended in the semifinals with a 16-14 points loss to Vatan Huseynli of Azerbaijan, under the new AIBA scoring system.[18][24] This performance earned him bronze and positioned him as a top British prospect, though the Olympic miss prompted his immediate turn professional later that year.[25] No records indicate participation in the European Union Championships during his amateur tenure, with his international focus centered on the Commonwealth Games and Olympic pathway events. These tournaments significantly bolstered Smith's confidence, refining his tactical approach and ring IQ against elite competition, which eased his transition to professional boxing in November 2012.[26][9]Professional career
Super middleweight phase
Callum Smith made his professional debut on November 17, 2012, at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England, defeating Dan Blackwell by unanimous points decision over four rounds.[27] The 22-year-old southpaw from Liverpool, standing at 6 feet 3 inches with an 78-inch reach, quickly established himself as a formidable super middleweight prospect, leveraging his height and power to secure an undefeated streak through his first 18 bouts, 13 by stoppage.[1] By 2015, Smith had captured significant domestic accolades, including the British super middleweight title later that year. On November 7, 2015, at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, he demolished local rival Rocky Fielding with three first-round knockdowns, earning a technical knockout victory at 2:45 to claim the vacant British belt and solidify his status as the division's top British contender.[28] He defended the British title twice, stopping Luke Blackledge in the second round in December 2016 and outpointing Hans Christian Hammer over 10 rounds in February 2017.[29] Smith's regional dominance extended to the European level in 2016. On April 2, at the Echo Arena, he captured the vacant EBU European super middleweight title by stopping Hadillah Mohoumadi inside the first round with a devastating left hook, marking his third major regional crown in under two years.[30] This victory positioned him for world-level contention, though he vacated the European belt later that year to pursue global opportunities. His early professional style emphasized aggressive pressure and knockout power, drawing on his amateur background to overwhelm opponents with volume punching and body work. Smith participated in the inaugural World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) super middleweight tournament. He advanced with a unanimous decision over Erik Skoglund in the quarterfinals on September 16, 2017, in Liverpool, then outpointed replacement opponent Nieky Holzken (substituting for the ill Juergen Braehmer) by unanimous decision over 12 rounds in the semifinals on February 24, 2018, in Nuremberg, Germany.[31] The final, held on September 28, 2018, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, saw Smith claim his first world title, the WBA (Super) super middleweight championship, along with the WBC Diamond and The Ring belts, via seventh-round technical knockout against George Groves after injuring his opponent's left shoulder early.[31] This triumph elevated Smith to 24-0, showcasing his evolution into a more measured boxer who combined his physical advantages with improved defensive footwork and counterpunching. Smith made two successful defenses of his world titles. On June 1, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York, he dismantled Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam with a third-round knockout, dropping the former middleweight titlist twice.[32] Five months later, on November 23 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, he outpointed mandatory challenger John Ryder by unanimous decision (118-110, 116-112, 116-112) in a gritty homecoming bout, though some observers questioned the scoring due to Ryder's late pressure.[4] These defenses highlighted Smith's growing tactical maturity, as he adapted his aggressive base to handle durable opponents by mixing precise jabs with power shots to the body. Smith's super middleweight reign ended on December 19, 2020, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, where he suffered his first professional defeat—a unanimous decision loss (119-109, 119-109, 117-111) to Canelo Álvarez over 12 rounds. Álvarez, moving up from middleweight, capitalized on superior hand speed and combination punching to unify the WBA, WBC, and The Ring titles, breaking down Smith with body shots and uppercuts despite the Briton's size advantage.[33] Over 28 super middleweight contests from 2012 to 2020, Smith compiled a 27-1 record with 19 knockouts, evolving from a raw power puncher into a versatile champion who used his reach to control distance while developing resilience against elite competition.[1]Light heavyweight phase
In 2021, Callum Smith transitioned to the light heavyweight division, making his debut on September 25 against Lenin Castillo at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, where he secured a second-round technical knockout victory with a devastating overhand right at 0:55, marking a strong start in the 175-pound weight class.[34] This move up from super middleweight allowed Smith to leverage his prior experience for better reach and power adaptation in fights against taller opponents.[35] Smith continued his momentum on August 20, 2022, defeating Mathieu Bauderlique by fourth-round knockout via left hook at 1:53 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in a WBC light heavyweight final eliminator that positioned him for a world title opportunity.[36] However, his title challenge against unified champion Artur Beterbiev on January 13, 2024, at Videotron Centre in Quebec City ended in a seventh-round technical knockout loss after Beterbiev's relentless pressure overwhelmed him, despite Smith challenging for the WBC, IBF, and WBO belts.[37] Following this setback, Smith rebounded on November 30, 2024, stopping Carlos Galván by fifth-round technical knockout with body shots at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England, demonstrating improved tactical adjustments to the division's physical demands.[38] On February 22, 2025, Smith captured the WBO interim light heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Joshua Buatsi at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, dominating a grueling 12-round technical battle with scores of 119-110, 115-113, and 116-112.[7] As of November 2025, he holds the interim belt and has been ordered to make a mandatory defense against David Morrell in early 2026, with negotiations advancing for a Saudi Arabia card.[39] Smith's light heavyweight record stands at 4-1, reflecting his successful revival through strategic refinements in distance management and counterpunching against the division's elite.[1]Professional boxing record
Callum Smith's professional record is 31 wins (22 by knockout), 2 losses, and 0 draws, as of November 14, 2025.[1] {| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:95%; clear:both;" |- ! No. ! Result ! Record ! Opponent ! Type ! Rd., time ! Date ! Location| ! Notes |
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| For WBC and The Ring super middleweight titles.[1] |
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| Won World Boxing Super Series super middleweight tournament final.[1] |
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