Liam Smith to fight Ali for light-middleweight title

London : Liam Smith will have a chance to regain the WBO light-middleweight title when he fights American Sadam Ali on 12 May. The 29-year-old from Liverpool, who has lost once in 28 fights - beaten by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in 2016 to lose the belt - will face Ali in New York State.

“I’m confident,” said Smith who has won all three of his contests since that defeat. “I’m naturally the bigger man.”

New Yorker Ali, 29, has also lost just once, in 27 fights, and will be making his first defence of the title.

Ali won the title by beating former four-weight world champion Miguel Cotto in December 2017 after Alvarez had previously vacated the belt. Cotto retired after that defeat.

“I’m looking forward to pitting myself against a good fighter, a former Olympian and now world champion who is coming off the back of a good win against Miguel Cotto,” said Smith.