TOURNAMENT TEST
Chris Walker examines Smith’s WBSS opener against Skoglund
Callum Smith gears up for his WBSS quarter-final against Erik Skoglund
THE current boxing season was intended to be a period where Callum Smith would compete for a world title, with the WBC strap vacated by Sweden’s Badou Jack to be disputed by the Liverpudlian and Anthony Dirrell. A September night in Los Angeles was chosen but that quickly fell apart and a bid to reschedule the contest in Detroit, not far from Dirrell’s Flint base, failed to materialise.
Instead, Smith opted to join the World Boxing Super Series, an eightman tournament lasting several months with the intention of delivering highquality fights (and extraordinarily high- quality purses) featuring the division’s top competitors.
Alongside domestic rivals, George Groves, Chris Eubank Jnr, and Jamie Cox, Smith will also be accompanied by Jurgen Braehmer, Avni Yildirim, Rob Brant, and this Saturday’s opponent, Erik Skoglund of Sweden. Smith’s status in the competition as No. 2 seed (behind Groves) gave him a selection advantage and he opted for the unbeaten Scandinavian, who approaches this weekend’s showdown with a flawless 26-fight ledger.
A light-heavyweight for the majority of his career with the occasional flirtation at cruiser, Skoglund will be attempting to reach the 168lb limit for the first time – and his voyage to Liverpool’s Echo Arena, the scene of some of Smith’s most destructive performances, will be his first crusade out of Scandinavia since 2011, when he campaigned in Germany for a brief period.
At 175lbs, Skoglund was a sturdy campaigner and is no stranger to the championship distance after hearing the final bell several times in European title fights. Wise veterans Lolenga Mock and Glen Johnson have extended him in losing efforts and onetime Jack conqueror, Derek Edwards, was also soundly beaten over 10 onesided rounds. Skoglund has an excellent engine and typically remains busy throughout his contests, using a quick
SKOGLUND HAS AN EXCELLENT ENGINE AND REMAINS BUSY
jab and following it up whenever the opportunities present themselves. He is taking a massive step up in class against Smith, though.
The Merseyside puncher carried his world-class amateur pedigree into the professional game and has looked a special fighter on several occasions. Collecting English, British and European titles with one-round victories over Patrick Mendy, Rocky Fielding and Hadillah Mohoumadi respectively, any time someone has been expected to test Smith, the result has been explosive, and that is something Skoglund and his team should be well aware of.
Despite fighting at least a division north of Smith for the entirety of his career, Skoglund will still concede height in this fight and he’ll need to find a quick answer to Smith’s ramrod jab, which he is likely to feel from the outset. If he can avoid a capitulation in the early sessions then Erik may feel confident that his experience over the full distance will give him the edge as the bout drags on. That said, by surviving the early rounds he’ll be handing the fight’s initiative to his opponent and Smith [pictured below with trainer Joe Gallagher] is also capable of going 12 rounds, as he demonstrated in dominant performances against Christopher Rebrasse and Nikola Sjekloca.
Any chance of Skoglund causing an upset surely lies with Smith having an off-night or the Scouser walking onto the punch of his adversary’s life. Smith has the power to hurt his opponent but if that opening fails to arrive then he possesses enough size and experience to achieve a wide verdict on the scorecards. That scenario is most likely but don’t rule out a stoppage for the home fighter anywhere after round 10, by which stage Skoglund will have given his all.
Elsewhere on the bill, Clitheroe’s Luke Blackledge, a common opponent of the main-eventers, faces Zach Parker in another super-middleweight encounter which serves as a British title eliminator. Parker has yet to put a foot wrong in his short career but against Blackledge he’s facing a huge test against a man who loses only to those seemingly going places. Parker deserves huge credit for stepping up in class so soon but this is a fight he would have a better chance of winning 18 months down the line. He’ll learn from the experience but it’s hard to look past Blackledge getting the nod at the final bell against the Derby man.
There’s action for St Helens’ multitime world title challenger Martin Murray, who has his first bout since April as he takes on Germany’s Arman Torosyan over 10 rounds in what should be a routine match. The precise outcome depends on what Murray wants to achieve from this outing and will be in his hands; Martin may wish to end it early after going the distance the last three times.
Local attractions such as Luke Willis, Joe Wood and Lloyd Campbell are on the undercard.
THE VERDICT Tough test for Smith, but sterner ones await.