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Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith Preview & Picks – Buatsi To Claim Interim World Title

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By Leigh Copson
4 hours ago
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  • Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith picks for Saturday, February 22
  • The Last Crescendo is taking place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh
  • Preview, predictions, stats & form
Joshua Buatsi (Getty Images)
    Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith Preview & Picks
  • Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith Preview & Picks
  • Joshua Buatsi Form
  • Callum Smith Form

Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith Preview & Picks

Joshua Buatsi is tipped to retain the interim WBO light-heavyweight title by decision.

Buatsi is expected to be the more active of the two fighters over 12 rounds, earning him the backing of the judges at ringside.

  • Joshua Buatsi has an unbeaten 19-0 record
  • Joshua Buatsi’s last 4 victories have all come via decision
  • Callum Smith has fought just twice in two-and-a-half years

Joshua Buatsi Form

Joshua Buatsi is the current interim WBO light-heavyweight champion with a perfect professional record of 19-0 (13 KOs).

Buatsi made his professional debut in July 2017 after a successful amateur career, and by his eighth fight he had won his first minor title.

He became British light-heavyweight champion in March 2019 when he stopped Liam Conroy in the third round, but he never made a defence of that title.

Instead he continued to defend his WBA international crown before moving up a level in the summer of 2001.

Buatsi knocked out Ricards Bolotniks in the 11th round, and the following May he beat Craig Richards via unanimous decision.

A year later he beat Pawel Stepian on points, and in 2024 he started the year by beating Dan Azeez via decision to claim the British and Commonwealth titles.

The 31-year-old British fighter then became interim WBO light-heavyweight champion last September, when he edged Willy Hutchinson via split decision.

Callum Smith Form

Callum Smith is a former world super-middleweight champion with a professional record of 30-2 (22 KOs).

Smith first fought professionally in November 2012 and quickly climbed the ladder by winning several minor titles.

He became British champion in November 2015 by knocking out Rocky Fielding in less than three minutes, and the following year he claimed the European crown with a first-round stoppage of Hadillah Mohoumadi.

In 2017 he entered the World Boxing Super Series tournament and advanced to the final with unanimous decision wins over Erik Skoglund and Nieky Holzken.

That set up a final showdown with George Groves for the WBA (Super) and Ring Magazine world titles, and Smith took his big chance with a seventh-round knockout of ‘Saint’.

The 34-year-old Liverpudlian made two successful defences of those belts, stopping Hassan N’Dam N’jikam in the third before out-pointing John Ryder, and that set up a huge showdown with Canelo Alvarez.

Smith’s attempts to beat the legendary Mexican ended in failure, as he lost a unanimous decision to surrender his titles.

He rebounded with knockout wins over Lenin Castillo and Matheiu Bauderlique, only to suffer the first stoppage loss of his career when he was knocked out in the seventh round by Artur Beterbiev in January of last year.

Smith bounced back in November though, taking out Carlos Galvan inside five rounds.

Verdict

Joshua Buatsi has never truly lived up to the hype, but we wonder just how much Callum Smith has left in the tank.

This could be one last payday for Smith, so we are backing the more motivated Buatsi to get the job done.

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