If WBA super middleweight champion Callum Smith (25-0, 18 KOs) had his way, he would collide with former unified super middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Andre Ward.
Ward (32-0, 16 KOs) retired from the sport in 2017, a few months after stopping Sergey Kovalev in their Las Vegas rematch.
Smith has become a top player at 168-pounds after shocking George Groves with a knockout back in September to win the WBA belt in the final bout of the World Boxing Super Series.
Joe Gallagher, the head trainer of Smith, outlined several options they are gunning for - with Ward being at he top of the list.
For the moment, Ward has given no indication that he would unretire. And, it's not likely the undefeated Olympic gold medal winner would be able to make the super middleweight limit of 168.
"We're after the big guns - [Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez], Andre Ward is the preferred one, we'd love to get him out of retirement,"Gallagher said to Sky Sports. "Gennady Golovkin is another one. Badou Jack, Adonis Stevenson.
"Anfield has been denied the big fight. We've been fortunate in Manchester. Tony has done Goodison Park. Now the red side of Liverpool needs their night."
Smith is looking for the best fights possible at 168-pounds. Once he's been able to secure a few of the upper-tier opponents at super middleweight, he plans to move up in weight to the light heavyweight limit of 175-pounds.
"I want to test myself against the best to see how good I really am," Smith said.
"I believe the future is bright. There are big names in my division or around my division.
"I have unfinished business at super-middle before I move to 175lbs."
Liverpool's football stadium has never hosted a boxing match but Smith aims to replicate Tony Bellew, who won a world title at Goodison Park in 2016.
2023-10-22 05:15:45
