Joe Smith reflects on his career, beating Alvarez, Hopkins

On Saturday night, US time, Joe Smith (26-3 21KO) will compete with Russian veteran Maxim Vilasov (45-3 26KO) for the WBO World Light Heavyweight Championship in ESPN's main event. Due to Verratov's positive COVID-19 test, the battle weight was adjusted from February 13 to April 10.

In December 2019, Canello Avarez eliminated then-champion Sergei Kovalev for the lightweight WBO World Championship title before dropping to 168 pounds, leaving the WBO gold belt vacant.

Q: You beat Faura by an 18-1 margin, what was that like for you?

A: It was a night I will never forget. The crowd was very noisy, there were a lot of fa-la fans out there and I could turn them into my fans. I knew I could beat him, and I really believed it. We realized that the door of the body opened wide when the method pulled out the punch, and that was what I was looking for. ”

Q: The nickname "Ordinary People" began to appear during the battles of Bernard Hopkins, why did this happen?

A: Actually, this started at the press conference. Hopkins was cunning, and he did everything he could to get ahead. At the press conference, he started yelling that he was special and that I was just a normal person. My promoter, Joe DeGuardia, began by saying that I was proud to be an "ordinary person" and a laborer. All of this is correct, but it's a bit stuck. But I think I've solved this problem by the time I punched him out of the boxing ring (Hopkins' contempt for him). About a year later, I met Hopkins at the BWAA Awards Dinner and he said to me, 'Hey Joe, come here and we can talk about promotion.' I think I earned the respect of him and everybody. ”

Q: Is your goal to be the first boxer to knock down Hopkins?

A: Yeah, I want to be the first to knock him down, but I have to say, [Hopkins] is a tough guy. I punched him hard a few times, but he was still there to fight back. When I forced him to the edge of the rope, I hit him with my right hand and I saw him basically stand up, and then I hit him with my left hand and knocked him out of the boxing ring. ”

Q: What did you learn from The Biver game?

A: Beaver's game made me know myself. I realized that to win at that level, I needed to move better and be more fluid. I need to stay busy and more focused throughout the process, rather than just looking for a good opportunity. I hope to start quickly in that game. ”

Q: Speaking of heavy punches, you have a chance to punch hard with your right hand in the tenth round. Did you ever re-watch that video and think, if only I had ten seconds left?

A: "Oh yes, I have. I watch that video every time. If I had pushed myself harder from the start, I think I might have won the fight. Maybe winning this title on April 10 will help me get back on the field again. ”

Q: Jesse Hart seems to really see your fight as personal, and he talks about how he's going to knock you down in honor of his mentor Bernard Hopkins. What do you think?

A: He's the kind of guy who turns other people's problems into his own. He told me he was going to knock me down, and he knocked me down more times than I did, and I think he only knocked me down once more then. When the bell rang he said he was going to come straight over and duel with me, and the bell rang and I ran to the middle of the ring and he started dancing around me like a ballet dancer, and I said, 'Dude, I thought you were going to duel.' ’”

Q: You are once again at a disadvantage against Ereder Alvarez. Some analysts think you're a strong fighter, and it turns out to be true. You're at a disadvantage in this battle, how did you cope?

A: "I don't mind being at a disadvantage. You have to understand your skills and know that you can always win. Going to that game was different because it was in a closed stadium and there were no boxing fans, but I didn't mind because there was nothing to distract me at all. ”

Q: Alvarez is your second consecutive number one light heavyweight against you in 2020. Have you ever wondered how the game turned out?

A: "Anyone is a dangerous opponent." I'm confident in both games, but you always feel like this guy can beat you. Anyone can lose, but as long as you work hard and do what you need to do, you will win. That's what I thought. I can beat anyone at any time, anywhere. ”