Callum Smith taken to hospital after brutal win over rival Joshua Buatsi
Callum Smith lashed out at his critics after breathing new life into his faltering career by out-slugging Joshua Buatsi in a fire-fight.
Former super-middleweight world champion Smith had struggled with injury and inactivity since losing to superstar Canelo Alvarez five years ago. His move up to light-heavyweight appeared to have concluded in defeat by dominant champion Artur Beterbiev last year. But Smith, who was taken to hospital after the final bell, rolled back the years in the desert to outpoint the previously-unbeaten Buatsi and set himself up for another crack at a 175lb strap.
Smith dominated large swathes of a fight which swung first one way and then the other as Buatsi showed a granite chin and refused to wilt. Ultimately, all three judges gave the deserved nod to the 34-year-old from Liverpool, by scores of 119-110, 115-113 and 116-112. “I was the underdog and it got my back up a little bit when I saw people saying I was finished,” said Smith.
“It was laughable and frustrating at times. I felt I had to prove a lot of people wrong tonight, but it wasn’t a surprising result for me. It wasn’t the perfect performance. I took a few rounds off towards the end, my vision was a little impaired.” Smith enjoyed the best of a tight opening round against his fellow Brit, following up a left hook to the body with the same shot to the head.
This domestic showdown showed signs it would live up to its billing as soon as the second session as Buatsi matched Smith’s impressive pace. Both men were making a point of targeting the body with Buatsi straying low with a shot which gave Smith pause. The tit-for-tat rhythm continued through the fourth round but Smith was piercing Buatsi’s guard with his reliable left hook to his midriff.
Smith had come into this as the underdog having fought just five times in as many years, but his pressure was relentless. Even a gash opening up above his right eye didn’t slow him down and a right hook to the head had Buatsi in trouble in a sensational sixth round which had even Anthony Joshua on his feet at ringside.
But the Londoner rocked his challenger in the dying seconds with a stinging reminder of a left hook. The frenetic pace slowed momentarily before Buatsi began to find his range with his jab. But Smith roared back in the ninth round to extinguish any hope Buatsi may have had that his rival was tiring.
Buatsi’s chin continued to repel Smith’s arsenal and the Londoner showed signs he could yet turn the tide in the tenth stanza. Smith’s cut opened up again in the penultimate round as Buatsi increased the pressure with time running out. But it was Smith who made sure of victory over a final, breathless three minutes.
Get all the boxing & MMA updates you need with our Mirror Fighting email update – sign up here