Can “Irish Bomber” Joe Smith Junior win a world title? It seems there is a good chance we will get our answer this April. Smith, the man who (hopefully) ended the career of the great Bernard Hopkins to cap off a tremendous breakthrough 2016, certainly deserves a shot and, according to a very interesting piece on RingTV.com, Smith could face reigning WBC 175-pound king Adonis Stevenson on April 29.
The WBC did order Stevenson to defend against the winner of the February 24 Lucian Bute-Eleider Alvarez fight, but Yvon Michel, who promotes “Superman,” told Ring how he believes the WBC “will go with us if we can make a side deal with the mandatory contender” (be it Bute or Alvarez). Both Michel and Smith’s promoter Joe DeGuardia believe a Stevenson-Smith fight is a big and significant one, and how the WBC will allow it to happen.
“It’s a great opportunity for Joe Smith to fight for a world title,” Michel told Ring today. “We’re willing to go to his own place (New York, with the proposed fight likely for the Nassau Coliseum if it goes ahead) for the right deal. The first couple discussions I’ve had with Joe – I can be very optimistic. It’s a fight that I would like to do.”
DeGuardia is reportedly looking at other options for his fighter, but according to Ring, he is excited about the idea of a Stevenson-Smith fight.
“Yvon and I have done business before,” DeGuardia said. “I have absolutely no problem doing business with him and it’s been very smooth negotiations and they are far along.”
So, if the mandatory situation can be sorted out – “There is some discussion to be had but I don’t think it’s any roadblock,” Michel said – it seems we have the makings of a most interesting fight. And a seemingly guaranteed explosion of a fight.
Stevenson, 28-1(23) is a huge puncher and, as his last fight, a short and violent slugfest with Thomas Williams Jnr reminded us, he is often involved in thrilling encounters. Smith, 23-1(19) can also punch – see his one-round stunner of a stoppage win over Andrzej Fonfara – and he is significantly the younger man at age 27 to 39 for the champ.
It’s a great match-up and hopefully the WBC will allow it to happen; winner to defend against the Bute-Alvarez victor.
