Merseyside maverick Liam Smith makes a hero’s return to Liverpool this summer to make the second defense of his WBO World Super-Welterweight title against Montenegro’s Predrag Radosevic at the Echo Arena on Saturday June 4th.
Radosevic, who is number 11 with the WBO and holds the body’s European title, is on a three-fight winning streak since losing his unbeaten record at the hands of Felix Sturm in July 2013.
The man from Podgorica in Montenegro holds a top record of 30 wins from 31 fights, 11 coming via knockout, in a career spanning 12 years. 31 year-old Radosevic will be looking to cause an upset on his debut on British soil and is a step-up in class for the undefeated Smith.
Scouse warrior Smith became Liverpool’s first World Champion in 22 years last October when he stopped American John Thompson in the seventh round to claim the vacant WBO Super-Welterweight crown.
His finishing was as emphatic as his game plan. A brutal right-hand, left hook combination finished Thompson just past the halfway point in the seventh.
Following his sensational performance against Thompson, Smith returned to the Manchester Arena two months later to make the first defence of his newly attained title against Mancunian Jimmy Kelly on the undercard of Billy Joe Saunders’ world title showdown with Andy Lee.
In the first Manchester versus Liverpool world title showdown in over 80 years, Smith blasted out his unbeaten rival with another seventh round stoppage. After emphatically announcing himself on the world stage ‘Beefy’ is now looking forward to making a hero’s return to his beloved home city.
Smith said: “I’m looking forward to fighting back at home. I haven’t boxed in Liverpool since I won the world title and I can’t wait to put on a show for my home crowd; there’s nobody better to fight in front of.”
He added: “It’s a great fight for me. I asked for this opponent for my first defence. He’s a good solid European fighter and he’s only lost to Felix Sturm at middleweight so it’s a good voluntary defence. I’m happy with the opponent.”
A mouth-watering night of action sees Ellesmere Port star Paul Butler defend his WBO International Super-Flyweight belt against Petchbarngborn Kokietgym, should he win Butler will be guaranteed mandatory position with the WBO. South African super-puncher Zolani Tete makes his eagerly anticipated return to Liverpool to defend his IBF International Bantamweight title. Ryan Farrag makes the first defence of his EBU European Bantamweight title against Frenchman Karim Guerfi and Jazza Dickens takes on Spain’s Abigail Medina for the Vacant EBU European Super-Bantamweight Championship. A top undercard sees Tom Stalker, Liam Williams, Steven Lewis, Josh Leather and Declan Geraghty all in action.
