LIVERPOOL’s Callum Smith destroyed the plucky Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam in three rounds, scoring three cinematic knockdowns along the way and then called out Canelo Alvarez immediately afterwards.
The Mexican, should he have been watching, would have seen the WBA super-middleweight champion introduce himself to New York with an electric showing.
A short left hook decked the challenger in the opening round and had there have been more time left in the session, the champion may have ended it there and then. But N’Jikam – no stranger to hauling himself off the canvas in previous world title losses to Peter Quillin and David Lemieux – survived.
Another counter left, delivered perfectly as N’Jikam pressed inside, sent the challenger sprawling again in the second. The finish, even by the standards of the opening two rounds, was emphatic. Smith landed a sweeping right that briefly dislodged the underdog from consciousness. On his back with eyes closed, N’Jikam somehow stirred up his senses to courageously rise. But the referee Charlie Fitch wisely called things off.
“He’s a good fighter and even at times today he showed that,” Smith said about his former sparring partner. “It was an honour to fight at Madison Square Garden. I’d love to fight Canelo next but let’s see what he does in September.”
