WBO light heavyweight world champion Joe Smith Jr will make his first title defense against an unlikely contender. British puncher Callum Johnson tested positive for COVID-19, so Smith will now face Steve Geffrard on Saturday, Jan. 15 at Turning Stone Resort Casino and LIVE on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In the 10-round co-feature, featherweight contender Abraham Nova (20-0, 14 KOs), who was originally slated to fight Jose Enrique Vivas, will fight Dominican veteran William “El Gago” Encarnacion (19-1, 15 KOs) after Vivas dropped out with an injury.

“I give Steve credit for taking this fight on short notice,” Smith said. “He is a tough guy, and I expect him to bring everything he has for this opportunity. I’m ready to fight regardless of who is in the ring with me. My goal is the same, which is to defend my world title and keep it on Long Island where it belongs.”

Geffrard said, “This is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s crazy how boxing works. One moment I’m thinking about boxing on a local show, then the phone rings for a chance to fight for the WBO world title on ESPN. Unreal!”

Smith (27-3, 21 KOs), the fighting pride of Long Island, won the title last April with a majority decision over Maxim Vlasov. His proposed October return was postponed due to a COVID-19 diagnosis, and with Johnson out, he turns his attention to Geffrard (18-2, 12 KOs), a 31-year-old native of Miami, Florida.

Geffrard is a nine-year pro who has won 18 straight fights since starting his career 0-2. He upped his record to 18-2 last March, winning an eight-round unanimous decision over longtime contender Denis Grachev. Geffrard had a fight scheduled for Jan. 8 in Delray Beach, Florida, but the “South Florida Cinderella Man” jumped at the chance to fight Smith on eight days’ notice.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, tickets priced from $49 to $89 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.

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TULSA, OK (April 10, 2021) — Joe Smith Jr., the common man with the common name, finally reached boxing’s apex. Smith used a furious late rally to edge Maxim Vlasov by majority decision and win the vacant WBO light heavyweight world title Saturday evening at Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The scorecards — 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112 — represented the nip-and-tuck nature of the bout.

Smith (27-3, 21 KOs), from Long Island, New York, swept the last two rounds on the cards to pull out the victory and joins promotional stablemate Jamel Herring as a Long Island-born world champion. He now sets his sights on the division’s other champions, including WBC/IBF king Artur Beterbiev.

Vlasov (45-4, 26 KOs), from Samara Russia, saw his three-bout winning streak come to an end.

Smith said, “It’s a great feeling. It was definitely a close, tough fight. I give it to Vlasov. Great fighter. He really put on a great show tonight and toughed it out. I believe that round where I hurt him there… I believe he had his head down, and I should’ve got the knockout. I think I would’ve got the stoppage in {the 11th} round, but he pulled it off and made it out on his feet. I believe I got the victory tonight because they saw I landed the harder shots. He landed a lot of punches. It was a great fight.

“I want the other belts. I want the big fights out there. Now I gotta get back in the gym and keep working on my technique and stuff. I believe I’m going to start unifying belts.”

Vlasov disagrees with Smith’s assessment of the fight and believes the world title should be going home to Russia.

“This was a very hard-fought, competitive fight,” Vlasov said. “I thought I was winning rounds and was well ahead. Against the aggressive style of Joe Smith, I came forward the entire fight. I felt confident I was winning and was securing rounds in the bank with the judges. I never felt that I was behind at any stage of the fight. This was my opportunity to show the world I was a world champion, and I did that, and Joe Smith knows I did that.”

(Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images)

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If at first you can’t fight, try again.

Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. and Maxim Vlasov are headed to the Sooner State to fight for the vacant WBO light heavyweight world title Saturday, April 10 at Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

They were originally scheduled to fight Feb. 13, but Vlasov tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the weigh-in, forcing a postponement.

In the 10-round co-feature, unbeaten heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba will take on Brian “MVP” Howard.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Tony Holden Productions, Smith-Vlasov and Ajagba-Howard will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:30p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT, including a trio of big-punching heavyweights: Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson and Tulsa natives Trey Lippe Morrison (16-0, 16 KOs) and Jeremiah Milton (2-0, 2 KOs).

Ticket information for this world championship event will be announced shortly.

“Joe Smith Jr. deserves this opportunity, and I know Maxim Vlasov will give him a great challenge,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “The light heavyweight division is one of the hottest in boxing, and the winner will have no shortage of lucrative opportunities.”

Smith (26-3, 21 KOs), the “Common Man” from Long Island, hopes his 2021 kicks off where 2020 concluded. Last August, he broke through inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, knocking former world champion Eleider “Storm” Alvarez out and through the ropes. Smith has won three straight bouts since his first world title opportunity in March 2019, a unanimous decision loss to Dmitry Bivol. He became a household name in boxing in 2016 when he knocked living legend Bernard Hopkins through the ropes and into retirement.

“I am extremely motivated after all I have been though in my career,” Smith said. “I am proud of all I have accomplished, and I am confident I will bring the belt home on April 10 and move forward with my goal of unifying belts and proving I am the best light heavyweight in the world.”

Said Joe DeGuardia, CEO of Star Boxing, “We all worked very hard to get Smith and Vlasov back in the ring as soon as possible, not just for the fans that love to watch the ‘Common Man’ fight, but for Joe, who is very anxious to become world champion. The blue-collar banger that is Joe Smith Jr. will be ready to fight and thrill the fans. He is laser-focused and fully intends on bringing the WBO world title to Long Island on April 10.”

Vlasov (45-3, 26 KOs), from Samara, Russia, is 3-0 at light heavyweight since moving down from cruiserweight, where he became a top contender and challenged for an interim world title. He had a banner 2019 at light heavyweight, knocking out the 14-1 Omar Garcia, avenging a previous defeat with a unanimous decision over Isaac Chilemba, and shutting out the 15-0 Emmanuel Martey over 10 rounds.

“I am ready to return to the ring and become the new WBO light heavyweight world champion,” Vlasov said. “The postponement was a minor setback, but it will be worth the wait when I have that belt around my waist.”

Ajagba (14-0, 11 KOs), a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, is one of world boxing’s most accomplished young heavyweights. At 26 years old, he’s already knocked out the likes of longtime contender Amir Mansour and former world title challenger Razvan Cojanu. He made his Top Rank debut last September and outlasted veteran Jonathan Rice via decision over 10 rounds. Howard (15-4, 12 KOs) is an 11-year pro who has split a pair of bouts since moving up to heavyweight. In August 2019, he knocked out 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian Carlos Negron in the first round.

Use the hashtag #SmithVlasov to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing;twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

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The working man’s hero, Long Island light heavyweight slugger, JOE “THE BEAST” SMITH JR. (26-3 21KO’S) is officially set to take on Russian MAXIM VLASOV (45-3 26KO’s) on February 13th for the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight World Title on ESPN.

If it weren’t reality, some would say it was scripted. An American union laborer’s rise to the top of the boxing world, in the paramount bout of his career for the Championship of the World, against a big strong Russian bear.

Smith Jr. had a 2020 reminiscent of his remarkable 2016. In both years, Smith Jr. secured two major upsets, placing himself inside the top 5 in the light heavyweight division and on track to fight for a world title.

As a relative unknown in 2016, and a 16-1 underdog on NBC, Smith Jr. traveled to Chicago to win a devastating first-round knockout of then #2 rated, Andrezj Fonfara in what would be dubbed “Upset of the Year” by Ring Magazine.

Later that year, once again as an underdog, Smith Jr. would knock boxing legend Bernard Hopkins, clear out of the ring, onto the Forum floor, becoming the first to knock out the former multi-division world champion.

Both knockouts were also runners-up for Knockout of the Year. With a win over the likes of Fonfara and Hopkins in back-to-back fights, Smith Jr. became a well-regarded and beloved inspiration in the light heavyweight division.

Fast forward to 2020, and Smith Jr. would once again find himself clawing back into the mix of a hot light heavyweight division. In January, Smith Jr. was in the main event on ESPN from the Hard Rock in Atlantic City, where he soundly defeated then #1 rated light heavyweight, and heavily favored Jesse Hart for the WBO NABO Light Heavyweight Title.

Next, Smith Jr. laced up his boots and found himself again as the underdog in a four-man WBO World Title elimination tournament against then #1 rated and former world champion, Elieder Alvarez.

After dominating the fight, Smith Jr. knocked Alvarez through the ropes in the ninth round, eerily similar to his Bernard Hopkins knockout, four years prior, en route to a 9th round brutal TKO victory.

However, after this semifinal bout was postponed once due to the global pandemic, again in October, and then the rescheduled November bout was also postponed when Salamov tested positive for COVID-19, Star Boxing’s NY Hall of Fame Promoter, JOE DEGUARDIA, requested and was granted the right for Smith Jr. to take on Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBO World Title.

Vlasov, who had a twelve-fight win streak snapped by Krzyzsztof Glowacki in a bout for the Cruiserweight World Championship in November 2018, has since won three-in-a-row in which he collected the WBO Global Light Heavyweight Title.

Smith Jr. now finds himself as the main character in a Rocky story, founded in reality. Just four years ago, as a member of Union Laborer’s Local 66, Smith Jr. could be found at the Bay Park Sewage Plant with RJ Industries, power washing fecal matter off of tanks.

To this day, Smith Jr. keeps his books up to date with the union, and while not fighting, can be found around Long Island servicing trees with his Dad, for their company, “Team Smith Tree Service.”

Originating from humble beginnings, with a roll up your sleeves style of hard work, Smith Jr.’s grit and determination to make something of himself has led him one victory away from glory and has made him the pride of the working class, known affectionately as the “Common Man.”

Joe Smith Jr. started his pro career with brothers Jerry and Phil Capobianco. “Running into Jerry (trainer) and Phil (manager) changed my life. Without them, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today.

I would still be a gym fighter.” SMITH JR. continued, “and a huge thank you to Joe DeGuardia and Star Boxing, my promoter, who took me to the Paramount and world and providing me with this great opportunity and believing in me. I am ready for this fight, and I can’t wait”.

Star Boxing CEO, JOE DEGUARDIA, said this about the upcoming World Title fight, “Joe Smith Jr. is one of the hardest working men in boxing.

He is the optime of the working-class hero. It is truly a different experience watching Joe fight – he has hammers in both fists, and at a moment’s notice, can end a fight.

He has vastly improved his boxing ability, and I believe he has become the top guy in the division. I am very confident that the ‘Common Man,’ Joe Smith Jr., will be the World Champion. Kudos to the WBO for recognizing Joe’s talents and mandating this fight.”

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LAS VEGAS – Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. once again lived up to his moniker. The Long Island native, nearly four years since he knocked Bernard Hopkins through the ropes, knocked out Eleider “Storm” Alvarez in the ninth round of a WBO light heavyweight world title eliminator.

A right-left combination sent Alvarez (25-2, 13 KOs) through the ropes, and he could not beat the count.

Smith (26-3, 21 KOs), who was leading on all three judges’ cards (80-72 and 79-73 2X) at time of the stoppage, has won two in a row since losing to WBA world champion Dmitry Bivol via decision.

Smith said, “Coming into this camp, I knew I had to work on my boxing. I wanted to be sharp, throw a lot of straight punches. I watched his fight with {Sergey} Kovalev, and Kovalev kind of set the way to beat him. So we watched that and worked off of it. I knew coming in today I had to box a little more because he’s got that great right hand. He caught me with it a couple times, but I can take a punch, too.

“Every time he hit me, I wanted to come and stop him in his tracks, and I did that. I stuck to my game plan, and it was a great fight.

“I feel this one is a big one. I really needed it. I wanted to prove I’m not just a knockout guy. I proved my boxing ability, too, and I showed that tonight.”

Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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Weigh-In Results: Eleider Alvarez vs. Joe Smith Jr.

TOMORROW at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT live on ESPN+
from the MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom (Las Vegas)

Eleider Alvarez 174.6 lbs vs. Joe Smith Jr. 174.9 lbs
(WBO Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator — 12 Rounds)

Photo by M. Williams / Top Rank

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LAS VEGAS (August 20, 2020) — Light heavyweights Joe Smith Jr. and Eleider “Storm” Alvarez took the MGM Grand “Bubble” stage for the main event press conference Thursday afternoon in advance of Saturday’s WBO world title eliminator, which will stream live on ESPN+ (coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET).

This is what two of the division’s heaviest hitters had to say.

Eleider Alvarez

“I feel 100 percent. I feel no pain since the recovery {from an injured shoulder}, so I feel great.

“{The Michael Seals knockout} was my first fight in 11 months, so I’m happy to be back. I want to put on a good performance. I felt that with the performance against Seals, I tried. I would’ve been happy with a decision. I was trying different things, but I got the knockout.

“When Oscar Rivas and I first came to Montreal, we didn’t speak English. We didn’t speak French. I knew a little bit of English, but over 10 years, I’ve learned to speak French. I’m even better in French than English. It’s been a special experience for me and here we are talking in French.

“It was hard for all the boxers, especially in the first two months to train, because everything was closed. We had to adapt to that. Now, things seem to be getting a little more back to normal. The gym is open. It’s not what it was. Hopefully, the pandemic can be over, and we can get back to normal. There were challenges, but we had them like every other fighter.

“I want to be champion of the world for a second time. Whether it’s by knockout or decision, I know Joe Smith comes to fight. I’m going to do the best I can to win this because I want to be champion of the world for a second time.”

Joe Smith Jr.

“Being the underdog, I always feel like I have something to prove. I don’t mind it. I like getting in there and proving the world that I belong at the top and should be a champion.

“The {first-round knockout} over Fonfara, I was like a 20-1 underdog in that fight. I came out and definitely shocked the world with that knockout. It got me here. It got me all the fights and the opportunities that I’ve gotten since. It all led up to this, and this one’s the big one. I’m really excited to be here and looking forward to getting another shot at a title.

“Same thing with Jesse Hart. I was pretty much the underdog in that fight. He was talking a lot, and I just kept it cool. I went in there and did what I had to do, and I got the win. That’s what I gotta keep doing.

“This is the number one priority right now for me. I’m just focused on getting this win Saturday night, so I trained very hard. I’m well prepared. As far as the tree business is going {Smith and his father own and operate Team Smith Tree Service on Long Island}, it’s definitely doing well. Due to the storms, we picked up some work. It was a little slow for some time because of the COVID 19, but it definitely has picked up. My father’s out there every day. He’s doing all the estimates. He’s running the business. I just pop in here and there. I haven’t been doing much with the business. I’ve just been focused on this.

“The only thing, this guy over here is trying to stop me from accomplishing the goal that I have set for myself.

“I’m just going to get in there and give it my all. I plan on coming out on top. I just want to put on a great show for everybody and have a great night.”

About ESPN+
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PHOTOS by MIKEY WILLIAMS / TOP RANK

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LAS VEGAS (July 30, 2020) — Leave the judges at home because Eleider “Storm” Alvarez and Joe “The Beast” Smith Jr. are coming for the knockout.

Alvarez and Smith will face off in a WBO light heavyweight world title eliminator in Top Rank’s return to the MGM Grand Conference Center Saturday, Aug. 22. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), Alvarez vs. Smith and a co-feature will stream live on ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“I can’t wait to sit back and watch this fight, which features two of the light heavyweight division’s biggest punchers,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “It’s a 50-50 fight and a great way to kick off our return to MGM Grand.”

Said Alvarez, “This fight is critical for both of our careers. I respect Joe Smith, who has proven to be an elite fighter. However, I have all the tools to beat him, and that’s what I intend to do. My goal is to become a two-time light heavyweight world champion.”

Said Smith, “This fight means everything to me. It’s my path to a world title fight, and I know this is my second chance to turn my dream into reality. Alvarez is a former world champion, and in my mind, I am treating this as a world title fight. To get there, I have to, and will, win this fight.”

Alvarez (25-1, 13 KOs) is a former Colombian Olympian who has made Montreal his home since turning pro in 2009. He gained widespread recognition following victories over Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal, but his August 2018 knockout win over longtime champion Sergey Kovalev earned him the WBO light heavyweight world title and recognition as one of the world’s top fighters. Alvarez lost a decision to Kovalev in a rematch the following February, but after recovering from a foot injury, he returned stronger than ever. He headlined a Top Rank on ESPN main event January 18 and knocked out Michael Seals with a single right hand. The knockout, an instant viral video sensation, became an early frontrunner for Knockout of the Year.

Smith (25-3, 20 KOs), from Long Island, rose to prominence in 2016 as the construction worker member of the Laborers Local 66 union who knocked out top contender Andrzej Fonfara and living legend Bernard Hopkins in back-to-back fights. He fell short in his only world title shot, a March 2019 decision defeat to WBA champion Dmitry Bivol. The Bivol fight was a minor hiccup, as he returned in January and neutralized Jesse Hart over 10 one-sided rounds in a Top Rank on ESPN main event in Atlantic City. Smith, who now owns and operates a residential tree service company on Long Island, hopes to punch his ticket to another title shot. A win over Alvarez will assure him of that opportunity.

Joe DeGuardia, Smith’s promoter, said, “I just love watching Joe Smith Jr. fight. He is a true throwback, a fan-favorite with tremendous punching power. It will be thrilling to see him against Alvarez, who is one of the top fighters in the game. Not only will boxing fans see two of the toughest light heavyweights battle it out in a fight that will ultimately determine the WBO world champion, but this has all the makings of the Fight of the Year.”

Use the hashtag #AlvarezSmith to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

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A light heavyweight bout between Eleider Alvarez (25-1, 13 KOs) and Joe Smith Jr. (25-3, 20 KOs) has been finalized for July 16 at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas, Top Rank director of boxing operations Carl Moretti confirmed to ESPN, though he noted that the date “could be moved.”

The clash is a WBO elimination bout, with the winner taking on Umar Salamov or Maxim Vlasov, depending on the outcome of their fight. The WBO light heavyweight title is currently vacant; Canelo Alvarez relinquished the belt shortly after he stopped Sergey Kovalev in 11 rounds in November.

It isn’t clear when Salamov and Vlasov will meet. They are both in Russia awaiting word. The winner of their fight will then have 120 days to face the winner of Alvarez-Smith for the WBO crown.

Eleider Alvarez, of Colombia, briefly held the light heavyweight title in 2018 after stopping Kovalev in seven rounds. He kicked off 2020 by defeating Michael Seals via seventh-round KO in January. Alvarez, 36, is a rugged and well-seasoned fighter who has faced Kovalev (twice, splitting two fights), Jean Pascal (W12) and Lucien Bute (KO5).

Smith, a construction worker from Long Island, New York, was the Cinderella story of 2016 after he upset the likes of Andrzej Fonfara in one round and sent Bernard Hopkins out of the ring and into retirement with an eighth-round stoppage.

Since then, he has lost to Sullivan Barrera and WBA titlist Dmitry Bivol, but he remains a dangerous puncher in the division. In his most recent fight, he outpointed Jesse Hart over 10 rounds in January.

Steve Kim / ESPN.com

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💥TONIGHT December 28th – Vacant WBO NABO Jr. Featherweight Championship: Angelo Leo Vs. César Juarez @ State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia.

💥Five WBO Bouts on December 31st @ Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan:

Main Event – WBO Jr. Bantamweight World Champion Kazuto Ioka Vs. Jeyvier Cintron

Co-Main Event – WBO Flyweight World Champion Kosei Tanaka Vs. Wulan Tuolehazi

WBO Jr. Bantamweight Female World Champion Miyo Yoshida Vs. Li Ping Shi

Vacant WBO Asia Pacific Jr. Featherweight Championship: Yusaku Kuga vs. Jhunriel Ramonal

WBO Mini-Flyweight Asia Pacific Champion Ginjiro Shigeoka Vs. Rey Loreto

💥January 10, 2020 – For vacant WBO Jr. Middleweight Female Championship Claressa Shields Vs. Ivana Habazin @ Ocean Resort Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.

💥January 11, 2020 – Vacant NABO Light Heavyweight Championship title Jesse Hart vs. Joe Smith, Jr. @ Mark G Etess Arena, Atlantic City, NJ.

💥January 18, 2020 – Vacant WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Eleider Alvarez vs. Michael Seals @ Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona, NY

Also, WBO Asia Pacific Jr. Middleweight Champion Takeshi Inoue Vs. Cheng Su @ Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan.

💥January 30, 2020 – WBO Middleweight World Champion Demetrius Andrade Vs. Luke Keeler @ Meridian at Island Gardens, Miami, Florida.

💥February 1, 2020 – Unified WBO Jr. Welterweight Champion José Ramirez Vs. Viktor Postol @ Mission Hills Haikou, Haikou, China.

💥February 20, 2020 – WBO NABO Jr. Welterweight Champion Yomar Alamo Vs. Kendo Castaneda @ Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, Florida.

💥February 20, 2020 – Vacant WBO European Featherweight Championship David Oliver Joyce Vs. Lee Haskins @ Ulster Hall, Belfast.

More to come…

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