CALLUM SMITH
Elliot Worsell speaks to Smith and Gallagher about their trip to Germany, and facing Braehmer on foriegn soil
The Scouser and trainer Gallagher on fighting in Braehmer’s backyard
CALLUM SMITH doesn’t care about going to Germany to fight Germany’s Jurgen Braehmer in the semi-final of the World Boxing Super Series. And that’s probably a good thing, too, because Callum Smith will have to do just that on February 24, it has now been confirmed.
Despite the efforts of Smith’s trainer, Joe Gallagher, to get the fight placed at a neutral venue, it is heading to Nuremburg, where David Haye pickpocketed the WBA heavyweight title from Nikolay Valuev in 2009.
“It’s been a little frustrating,” Smith told Boxing News. “I always knew when it was likely to happen, based on the other semi-final, but to have a date and venue confirmed is good. I can now fully concentrate on the task and don’t have loads of people asking me about the fight and when and where it might take place. That’s nice. It makes my life a bit easier.”
The plan for Smith is now clear. He fights Juergen Braehmer in Nuremburg on February 24. Come through that and his next fight, probably around May, will be against the winner of the February 17 semi-final between George Groves and Chris Eubank Jnr. It’s good to have direction. It’s good to have a schedule. Smith, a man in limbo over Christmas, realises that now.
“There were rumours that I’d pulled out (of the tournament), but that wasn’t the case,” said the 27-year-old. “I was always fighting; I was always staying in the tournament. I was just waiting for the date to get finalised.
“A little switched is flicked when you get confirmation. You manage to get more out of yourself in training sessions. I’m always inspired and motivated, but I feel like I’ve upped it another gear since the date was announced. It’s hard to describe why. All I know is it has definitely had a positive impact.”
Joe Gallagher, you sense, does the caring, the stressing and the worrying on Smith’s behalf. It’s better that way, too.
“We were in training before Christmas and Callum only had five days off during that time,” Gallagher said. “It was all about the venue. Was it going to be Germany, or Dublin, or Amsterdam, or Paris? All I’ve ever said is the World Boxing Super Series, like the FA Cup semi-final, should be on neutral ground.
“The venue doesn’t matter now. I was just trying to get my fighter a slight advantage, or just a level playing field, and not have it in Germany. I’ve been there a few times and the experience hasn’t been great. You can’t argue with Paul Smith against Arthur Abraham. It was close, but Abraham got it. The Matthew Macklin and Felix Sturm one was daylight robbery, though.
“So I’m a bit once bitten, twice shy when it comes to Germany. I do have my reservations going there with Callum. That’s why I tried to get it somewhere else. But it didn’t work. We just have to get on with it now.”
Like any fighter, Smith sees only the fight. He sees Juergen Braehmer in a boxing ring, gloved up, stood in an awkward southpaw stance, intent on teaching him a lesson, halting his progress, snapping his 23-fight unbeaten record, and, worst of all, scuppering a fascinating all-british super-middleweight final in early-summer.
“I’m not fussed about going to Germany,” said Smith, “If you’d said at the start of the tournament I was going to fight in Liverpool first and then have to go to Germany for the second one, it wouldn’t have bothered me. Would I sign up for it? Of course I would. I knew it was a worldwide tournament and I realised there was a possibility I might have to travel.
“The minute I heard the rumours it might be Germany, knowing the other semi (between Groves and Eubank Jnr) was in Manchester, I kind of knew I’d have to travel. There was talk it might be a neutral venue but I never believed that. I always felt it would be in Germany.
“I boxed all over the world as an amateur and I’ve travelled quite a bit with my brothers and gym mates. I believe I would beat Jurgen Braehmer no matter where we fight.”
‘I FEEL LIKE I’VE UPPED A GEAR SINCE THE FIGHT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED’