In a just-concluded battle for light heavyweight boxing, the current WBO light heavyweight boxing champion American Joe Smith Jr. (28-3, 22KO) won the first world champion defense battle in 9 rounds of TKO compatriot Steve Gevlard (18-3, 12KO).
The tournament was held in Verona, USA, which was also the local headline main event. Joe Smith Jr.'s original opponent was Briton Callum Johnson (20-1, 14KO), who temporarily replaced Steve Jeff Rad a week before the game due to covid-19. There was a considerable gap in the strength of the two, and Joe Smith Jr. played more cautiously in the first three rounds, but at the beginning of the fourth round he stepped up the offensive rhythm and the game became one-sided. Jeffrad's fist is not heavy, he can't hit Little Joe Smith, he is not a grinding point master, he has suffered a lot of heavy punches, but fortunately, his ability to resist blows is good, and Little Joe Smith has not knocked him down. In the 9th round, Joe Smith Jr. finally couldn't help but end the fight, and as soon as the opening attack was launched, Jeffrad was forced to the fist and knocked to the ground, and the referee terminated the game.
Beating the opponent, the 32-year-old Joe Smith Jr. rose to a professional record of 28 wins and 3 losses, 22 games KO opponents. Smith has ko-barned Hopkins and Ered Avarez in the past and has some strength, but is slightly inferior to the current WBC/IBF light heavyweight champion Betbeev (17-0, 17KO) and WBA light heavyweight super boxer Than Wall (19-0, 11KO). Yesterday, Arum, CEO of the top promotion company, said that the number one superstar in the active boxing world, "Carneiro" Sur Avarez (57-1-2, 39KO), may choose Joe Smith Jr. to play in May and betbeev in September, both of whom are under Arum's account.