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Joe Smith Jr. To Defend WBO World Title Against Callum
Johnson In Verona, NY On Jan. 15
Joe Smith Jr., Long Island’s working class hero, will make
the long-awaited first defense of his WBO light heavyweight
world title against British knockout artist Callum Johnson
on Saturday, Jan. 15 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in
Verona, N.Y.
Smith-Johnson kicks off the Top Rank on ESPN 2022 schedule
with a battle between two of the division’s biggest
punchers. Smith was supposed to defend his title Oct. 30 in
New York City, but a COVID-19 diagnosis delayed his return
to 2022.
In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, the undefeated
Abraham “El Super” Nova, who hails from Albany, N.Y., will
face Mexican action star Jose Enrique Vivas. Smith-Johnson
and Nova-Vivas will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes
(simulcast on ESPN+) at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT.
The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ —
will see the long-awaited professional return of
Cincinnati-born featherweight Duke Ragan (4-0, 1 KO), who
captured a silver medal for the United States at the Tokyo
Olympics. Long Island-born welterweight sensation Jahi
Tucker (5-0, 2 KOs), Puerto Rican junior welterweight Omar
Rosario (5-0, 2 KOs) and rising junior welterweight Kasir
“Mazzi” Goldston (4-0, 1 KOs), are scheduled to appear in
separate six-round bouts.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s
Star Boxing and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions,
tickets priced from $49 to $89 go on sale Friday, December 3
at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at the Turning Stone
Resort Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711
or online at Ticketmaster.
“Joe Smith Jr. always delivers, and he is in against a tough
customer in Callum Johnson. This is a can’t-miss main event
to kick off our 2022 Top Rank on ESPN schedule,” said Top
Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Vivas is the ultimate test for a
young, undefeated contender like Nova. Like our main event,
you’re going to witness a tremendous battle.”
Smith (27-3, 21 KOs) retired the legendary Bernard Hopkins
with a storybook knockout in 2015, but it took him nearly
six years to capture a world title. He fell short in his
first attempt versus Dmitry Bivol in 2019, but in 2020,
big-fight opportunities knocked. Smith battered Jesse Hart
over 10 rounds in January and then knocked out former world
champion Eleider Alvarez through the ropes in August. Nearly
eight months after the Alvarez triumph, he edged Maxim
Vlasov by majority decision to earn the vacant WBO world
title. He became the fourth Long Island-born boxing world
champion, joining Buddy McGirt, Chris Algieri, and former
WBO junior lightweight world champion Jamel Herring. After a
full recovery, Smith returned to training intent on staking
his claim as the world’s preeminent 175-pounder.
Smith said, “I am glad to be getting back into the ring as
quickly as I am to defend my WBO world championship after
having COVID. It is not the fight the fans or I expected,
but this will be an explosive fight between two huge
punchers. I look forward to facing Johnson and defending my
belt in front of my fans, as well as putting on a great show
for the ones watching at home.”
"Joe Smith Jr. is always exciting to watch, but this fight
could top them all. This is 'must-see TV' and a perfect
fight to launch ESPN's 2022 boxing season,” said Joe
DeGuardia, President of Star Boxing. “We are looking forward
to Joe defending his WBO world title against Callum Johnson.
With two of the hardest punchers in boxing fighting each
other, it doesn't get more explosive than this. Don't miss
this fight, and don't blink!"
Johnson (20-1, 14 KOs) is a former British and Commonwealth
light heavyweight champion riding a three-fight winning
streak since a 2018 knockout loss to current WBC/IBF unified
champion Artur Beterbiev. Johnson knocked Beterbiev down in
the second round, but Beterbiev rebounded and knocked out
Johnson in the fourth. Johnson, from Boston, England, shared
the same bill with Smith at Turning Stone Resort Casino in
March 2019. Johnson knocked out Sean Monaghan in three
rounds, while Smith lost a decision to Bivol in a bid for
the WBA light heavyweight title.
Johnson said, “Joe is a good world champion, and we’re both
big punchers. I’m looking forward to it as much as I’m sure
he will be. I also would like to thank Frank Warren and the
team at Queensberry, who said they would deliver me a world
title shot. They’ve done their job, and now it’s time for me
to do my job in the ring and become the new WBO light
heavyweight champion.”
“I’m delighted to deliver this opportunity for Callum,” said
Hall of Fame Promoter Frank Warren. “When he came with us,
he said he wanted to get active again and become a world
champion. Callum has his chance now to realize his dream,
and if he fights like I know he can, there is no reason why
Britain won’t crown a new world champion on January 15.”
Nova (20-0, 14 KOs), world-ranked at junior lightweight, is
now campaigning at featherweight. In June 2020, he turned
away Avery Sparrow by unanimous decision, but in training
camp for his next fight, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
Nova was out of action more than a year and returned in
August with an eight-round decision over Filipino veteran
Richard Pumicpic. Vivas (21-1, 11 KOs) is a classic Mexican
pressure fighter, a 27-year-old native of Texcoco who has
won four in a row since a decision defeat to Ruben Villa. In
October 2020, he needed only 76 seconds to knock out John
Vincent Moralde. He returned in May and rose from a pair of
third-round knockdowns to edge Louie Coria by unanimous
decision.
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