Merseyside duo Smith and Fielding collide for British title

Those former glory days could soon be on the rise again, with James DeGale currently the IBF champion, while Martin Murray will soon compete for the WBO belt this month, but this Merseyside duo are capable of being leading lights such a resurgence.

“We both respect each other…”

Fighting for the pride of Liverpool, Fielding (21-0, 12 KOs) hails from Stockbridge Village in the west of this famous city, while Smith is a North-end product from highly-regarded Rotunda ABC boxing club, but the pair have refreshingly not required trash talk to promote their bout.

“I don’t really need any bad blood to get myself up for the fight. We both respect each other and we both know each other from our amateur days, so there’ll be no bad blood,” stated Smith.

“If it starts from now, so be it, but either way I’ve just got to get in the ring and do what we’ve worked on for the last 10 weeks. If I do that I’m confident I’ll come out the winner.”

Fielding relishing underdog tag

Smith is another rising talent from the talented brother production line bearing from Liverpool, and is tipped to scale the heights his sibling Liam has recently, but Fielding is relishing his tag as underdog going into this latest bout.

“The talk is around Callum, and the pressure,” stated the 28-year-old, who is 5/2 to overcome Smith on their home patch. “I’m going in there to do a job – and I want to do a good job.”

Fielding revealed he has left no stone unturned in preparations for the bout with Joe Gallagher’s 25-year-old prospect Smith.

“We’ve had all types in. We’ve had big, big guys. We’ve had big cruiserweights in, light-heavyweights in and middleweights for their speed,” he continued.

“I’m ready to scrap..”

“We’ve covered everything with our sparring – big, strong lads with good power shots.

“It was good sparring but it’s about what I can do to them, and my tactics to get the game-plan ready for the night.

“If it comes to, ‘Let’s have a scrap, let’s fight, let’s get in the centre’ – then I’m prepared to do that.”

Smith will look to continue his rise to prominence and take a step closer towards becoming the second of his family to clinch a world title, while Fielding aims to overcome the odds and maintain his respective unbeaten streak in this British title contest, with Merseyside pride also at stake.

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Coral’s top tip: Callum Smith is headed for a big future in the sport and is odds-on 3/10 to overcome Rocky Fielding.