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Everything just caught up with Degale against Eubank
Callum Smith lays out his plans
IWATCHED James Degale vs Chris Eubank Jnr. You’ve got to give Eubank credit but I don’t think we’ve seen a lot of changes under his new coach. I think he was a little bit more patient. I thought the main talking point was Degale. Maybe it was one tough fight too many or his lifestyle. I don’t know, everything just caught up with him. He just wasn’t the Degale we all knew. Especially the Degale I knew. Coming through the ranks I’d always seen Degale as the best in the division at a certain point. He was a very good fighter and very hard to beat. He was a shadow of himself, which was sad to see really.
Right now a Eubank fight is not really appealing with him losing to George Groves and then me beating Groves. But he’s on the right path. That fight definitely does put him back in the mix and if he can get another good win, he is knocking on the door. He is there or thereabouts and it puts him in with a good shot of getting a big fight. I would never say never. Our paths may cross in the future. I just think for the next fight, I don’t really see him as a potential opponent.
Domestic fights probably get a little bit more exposure and little more interest than other ones. It’s why coming through I always envisioned fighting Groves and fighting Degale for that reason. They’re the fights people get excited about and Eubank’s put himself in that mix as a big domestic opponent, and at my weight, super-middle.
I won’t be ready to fight in April but any time in May. There’s a few options abroad around that time. So I’ve got a rough idea of what I’m training towards and hopefully pretty soon we can get a confirmed date so I can fully tailor my training towards that date and then have an opponent I can tailor my training towards.
Obviously I’d love to fight at home I’d love to defend my world title in Liverpool but I’d also like to fight in America. That’s another thing I’d like to tick off. Whatever makes the most sense, whether it’s this fight or the next fight I’d love to go over to the States and get a fight over there. The other champions are all based in America so it is something that is possible. Whether it’s the next one or not I’ll more than likely find out in the next week or so. There is a good chance that it could be abroad.
The Echo Arena would be great, I’ve boxed there numerous times as a professional and it’s always been good. I’ve got very good memories there. Fighting there as a world champion would be special. But at the moment Anfield does appeal to me more, I’m not going to lie. I just need the right opponent, the right time of year. A lot of things need to fit in place for it to be possible, which I think is why it hasn’t happened this year. But providing that I can keep winning and keep my world title next year, it may be that it’ll be a bit more possible. I think I’ll be a bigger name next year, I think the dates might fit well. It might just work well for everyone. For the time being the Echo Arena is still a great home for me and I’m sure we could pack it out and get a good atmosphere.
If boxing on the Canelo Alvarez show in Las Vegas on May 4 was offered to me I’d bite your hand off for it. Vegas is definitely something I think every boxer dreams of and if I was given the opportunity to do it, I certainly wouldn’t turn it down.
As good as the World Boxing Super Series was, I didn’t perform the way I should have the first two fights and I came under a bit of criticism. It put a lot more pressure on me to deliver in the final. I believe I did exactly that.
People expect big performances from me now. I always felt I dealt with that pressure a lot better than when it was people doubting me. So different mentality but one that I’m looking forward to.
‘I’D BITE YOUR HAND OFF FOR A FIGHT IN LAS VEGAS’