Why Callum Smith is called ‘Mundo’

Callum Smith

YOU probably werenโ€™t wondering why Callum Smith is called โ€œMundo.โ€ But we found out anyway.

Smith, as well as winning the British and European titles in his rise, picked up a WBC Diamond title when he beat Erik Skoglund on points over 12 rounds in the quarter-final of the World Boxing Super Series. He has ambitions to win a world title and the Muhammad Ali Trophy at the end of the tournament.

He explains why his fighting nickname is โ€œMundo.โ€ โ€œMy dad called me it when I was a kid. I was obsessed with the Turtles, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Thereโ€™s Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and my dad used to call me Callemundo, saying youโ€™re the fifth turtle. I had a shell backpack and all that. โ€˜Callemundoโ€™ and I was made up with it,โ€ he said.

โ€œThey started to call me Mundo, the โ€˜Callโ€™ dropped and itโ€™s just stuck. All the people closest to me as a kid call me it and when I went to boxing gyms, there were people in the gym who knew me as a kid, calling me it and it sort of stuck. When I was turning pro I was stuck for a name and now itโ€™s caught on.โ€

callum smith

โ€œBut it means โ€˜worldโ€™ in Spanish, which looks like itโ€™s a bit of an omen if I become world champion. Itโ€™s not too bad at all,โ€ Smith noted.

He added, โ€œ[His brother] Stephenโ€™s little lad Frankie is into the Turtles now so Iโ€™ll be watching them with him.โ€

Donโ€™t miss next weekโ€™s issue of Boxing News for a full interview with Callum Smith.

Share Page