Callum Smith Brings WBSS Ali Trophy to Morson
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It’s been two months since Callum Smith sent shockwaves throughout the boxing world with his Ali Trophy win in Saudi Arabia and after a period of much needed relaxation he visited the Morson office with trainer Joe Gallagher to reflect on a huge year.
Smith followed in the footsteps of Anthony Crolla and Ricky Hatton as another Morson fighter climbing the ranks to win a World Title, with his win in September also seeing him capture George Groves’ WBA world championship. He recalled his thought process once he landed a stunning left hook that began fight ending sequence in the seventh round:
“I was just thinking now’s my chance to finish and don’t let him off the hook. I hurt him in round 3, went into finish him and realised he wasn’t ready to go yet he recovered quite quick. I knew once the left hook landed in round 7 he was there for the taking and if I didn’t get rid of him then, it could come back to bite me later in the fight. Get rid of him was the only thing going through my mind”
The punch that ultimately put Groves away was one that was painfully familiar to Joe Gallagher during training camp:
“It was good to see all the training get put into practice. Even the Monday in Jeddah, we were practicing certain shots and Callum nailed me with that right hook to the body, I got out of the ring limping and I was on pain killers for a few days! It was ironic that in the fight it was the right hook to the body that creased Groves right near the end”
Callum’s calmness in the heat of battle has been present throughout his career but Joe was particularly impressed with his fighter on September 28th, considering the magnitude of the event:
“When that happens everyone around you is shouting, the stadium is shouting and to remember what we’d gone through just me and him in a ring in Jeddah in a quiet gym, that’s what was pleasing. He could have thrown anything and landed, as long as he won I wouldn’t have cared”
One of the biggest stories going into the World Boxing Super Series final was just how long it took to get there with numerous delays throughout the year due to a shoulder injury to Groves. Smith discussed what it was like going from having his opponent constantly on his mind for the better part of a year to try and switch off from it completely after his win:
“Yeah, it’s been nice but it was hard, I’ve been focused on that fight for longer than any other fight previously. The fight was made in February and was supposed to take place in May and slowly it kept getting pushed back further and further. I stayed the same, I was always in the gym because it never got pushed back enough that could go on holiday or enjoy myself. The minute I did win, it took a while for it to settle in that I'd done what I always wanted to achieve. When you've been doing the same routine for a while it's hard to switch off but I've had some good times with friends and family and enjoyed myself."
Coming off the back of that huge win, Callum’s star power has grown exponentially in a talent rich division full of big names, the Liverpudlian now looks set for a mega-fight in his hometown next with Anfield being the desired venue. The history making win came at the perfect time as earlier in September, the Liverpool FC stadium had just been approved to host Boxing and MMA events and all signs point to the Morson sponsored Boxer being the first to main event there:
“I think the whole event fighting at Anfield would be bigger than fighting in Saudi Arabia, obviously I’d have all my home fans there and to fight at Anfield being a Liverpool lad is something I never thought to be possible and now it is possible. The actual moment when the referee waved the fight off when for me to become a world champion, I don’t think any moment from now until the end of my career will top that”
It’s safe to say Smith’s life has changed quite a bit in recent months and it’s about to change further as he is about to become a father to his first child in the coming weeks. He believes the thought of fatherhood is more daunting than any fight he’s ever had:
“Most definitely, boxing is something I’ve done since a little boy, I couldn’t imagine doing anything different but fatherhood is a bit of the unknown. I’m from a big family though, I’ve got a lot of brothers and sisters and few nieces and nephews so hopefully that’ll stand me in good stead. Although, it’s easy being with them and giving them back when they’re crying! It’s exciting and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, there’s more to life than boxing and I’m looking forward to becoming a dad”
After a tremendous year, Callum has set himself up for an unforgettable 2019 and Morson will be with the scouse superstar every step of the way.
