In a 175-pound lightweight championship game in New York, U.S.A., WBO defending champion Joe Smith (28-3-23KO) knocked down Steve Gefrad (16-3-12KO) in the ninth round to win his first defending title. Smith's original choice of WBO No. 11 challenger Callum Johnson temporarily withdrew from the game before the game, and Geoffrad, who had no challenge rights in the four major organizations and was ranked 108 in the light heavyweight comprehensive ranking of boxing archives, replaced Johnson.
Little Joe completed his first defending game
Despite being a grassroots boxer, Smith has now experienced the baptism of the big competition and is therefore very strong against Gefrad, the temporary challenger. After round after round of slashing, Smith, who had the upper hand, ended Gefrad's stubborn resistance in the ninth round. Seeing his boxers frequently being ravaged, Gefrad's coaching staff signaled the referee to concede.
The winning Smith is waiting for a big fight, whether it's with WBC/IBF double champion Artur Beitbiev or Mexican superstar Saul Avarez, which will allow Smith to get unprecedented attention and revenue.
In terms of income, it is naturally better against Ava
Bettbiev is the only active champion in today's boxing world to win all-KO, and the tough Russian has played KO opponents in 17 consecutive matches, six of which have been in IBF and WBC championships. If Smith can play with him all the time, he will definitely win the favor of the media and boxing fans, after all, this is what champion boxers such as Gwozdick, Brown, and Crowder have not done. Considering that Smith and Batebiyev are both boxers for Arum, the two can be signed at any time for the match.
Of course, what is more worth looking forward to for Smith is Avarez, the king of P4P and PPV superstar is the dream target of all boxers of the same level and even adjacent levels. If Avarez gets his favor, Smith will receive the highest appearance fee of his career, which may even exceed Smith's previous boxing income combined.
The killing machine still holds the all-win all-KO for now
Already in the 168-pound class, Avarez has won four organizations' gold belts, and the question is now whether to skip to the 200-pound heavyweight class according to the rhetoric of his coach Renault, or to normally upgrade back to the 175-pound level he had previously fought. In 2019, Avarez briefly reached this level and knocked out Kovalev to win the WBO's gold belt.
Kovalev had competed fiercely with Bertbiyev in the amateur tournament, and after Avarez gave up the WBO title, Joe Smith inherited the golden belt by beating Vlasov in the vacant championship. In other words, both Betbiyev and Smith have some connection to Avarez.
Little Joe personally naturally hopes to be able to fight Ava
Bob Arum, the owner of "Top Promotion", is a co-promoter of Smith and a promoter of Betbiyev. Of course, he wants his boxers to get a chance to play against Avarez, but the boxing tycoon also understands that the initiative is now in Avarez's hands.
"The choice is with Avarez, who is the most attractive player in today's boxing world. He was a gifted boxer and a great warrior who had the right to choose his opponents and he also tried to find the most suitable ones. ”
Of course, the final choice is still up to Ava
So, Avarez can now choose Smith or Beitbiyev, and how he chooses is up to Avarez himself. I got the sense that he wanted to play on may 5, the day of the Mexican traditional festival, a time that would allow him to get a box office hit again. ”
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