CALLUM SMITH destroyed Liverpool rival Rocky Fielding in one round to win the British super-middleweight title in their home city.
Smith snagged him with a cross and a vicious left uppercut put Fielding down. Badly shaken, Rocky fought on. He tried to fight off the ropes. Callum dropped him a second time with an excellent left hook as Fielding charged forward. Smith hammered him down a third time. Rocky wobbled up but his legs were lost beneath him and he had to be stopped.
Callum won the Lonsdale belt previously held by his eldest brother Paul. In an incredible achievement for the Smith family, all four brothers have won British titles. His brother Liam is a world champion. Callum is now expected to follow in those footsteps.
“It was a good fight while it lasted and I’m pleased to get the win,” Callum said. “For the four together to make history, it’s something I’m very proud of.
“I’m still young and I’m still learning, but I’m doing everything right.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn said, “We’ll be pushing at the WBC convention for him to become mandatory challenger to Badou Jack [their champion]. It’s a fight I believe he wins. We’ve got Martin Murray challenging for a world title in a couple of weeks [November 21], we’ve got James DeGale the IBF champion and then you’ve got George Groves coming back, which is a fight we’ve always wanted as well.”
Scott Cardle, making the first defence of his British title got drawn into a tear-up with local man Sean “Masher” Dodd. Cardle suffered damage around his eyes and Dodds sent punches crashing through. But in the 12th and last round Cardle hurt him with hooks and poured everything into his attack. Dodd crashed into the ropes and referee Terry O’Connor ended it at once.
Former WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns knocked out Josh King in 11 rounds with a final left hook to the body.
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