Callum Smith (31-0, 22 KOs) vs Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs) is in talks for an all-British battle this August in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to Ring Magazine.
Both British boxers are coming off decent domestic wins, with “Mundo” Smith upsetting unbeaten Joshua Buatsi last February, and “The Beast from the East” Yarde winning the trilogy 2-1 over former IBO world champion Lyndon Arthur in April.
The Ring has reported that Smith and Yarde could face each other in another exciting instalment of the popular Matchroom vs Queensberry 5 vs 5 series.
Matchroom Boxing’s promoter Eddie Hearn and Queensberry Promotion’s Frank Warren have both submitted lists of five fighters each to make up the next head-to-head event.
The first 5 vs 5 event took place in June 2024 and was a roaring success. Hall of Fame promoter Warren’s stable managed a landslide win over Matchroom, winning all five fights, as Liverpool’s Nick Ball edged American Raymond Ford; Hamzah Sheeraz stopped “Ammo” Williams; heavyweight Daniel Dubois halted Filip Hrgovic; Scotsman Willy Hutchinson dominated Londoner Craig Richards; and Chinese powerhouse Zhilei Zhang destroyed former world champ Deontay Wilder in five.
Callum Smith vs Anthony Yarde would be a fantastic addition for the next 5 vs 5 event, with both boxers highly-ranked, plus there could even be potential of fighting for the WBO world light-heavyweight title.
Unified WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO world light-heavyweight champion Dmitriy Bivol has already relinquished his WBC belt in order to complete his trilogy with Artur Beterbiev later this year instead of his mandatory obligations to the Interim titlist David Benavidez, who has now been elevated to full champion.
Liverpool’s Smith is the current WBO Interim champion and there’s reports that Bivol may even give up his WBO belt too, which would promote Smith to full champion and allow him to defend against Yarde, who has twice challenged for world titles before. Neither man has won a world title up at 175lbs yet, but 35-year-old Smith is former WBA and Ring Magazine super-middleweight world champion.
He has only lost to Mexican megastar Canelo, in 2020, and Russian KO king Artur Beterbiev in January 2024. His record at light-heavyweight is currently 4-1, 3 KOs.
33-year-old Yarde, from Hackney, London, first lost to Sergey Kovalev in a brave attempt to win the WBO light-heavyweight title in 2019, losing in round 11.
He then slipped up against fellow Brit Lyndon Arthur during lockdown in 2020, recklessly marching forward and getting picked off to lose on points; then came his second crack at a world title to Artur Beterbiev in 2023, which was once again a very heroic effort, thwarted in round eight.
He has since won his last four fights on the spin, so if and when Yarde and Smith come together, it’s set to be a 50-50 fight on the 5 vs 5 event.
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