Liam Smith vs Jessie Vargas date: UK start time, ringwalks, undercard, live stream and how to watch clash at Madison Square Garden

Former world champion Liam Smith will take on Jessie Vargas at Madison Square Garden this weekend on the undercard to Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano.

Taylor will face Serrano in New York in the biggest women’s bout ever and Smith’s fight will act as the prelude to the main event.

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Smith, who held the WBO light-middleweight crown earlier in his career, is eager to secure another world title shot before he hangs up his gloves.

‘Beefy’ is 30 and three in his career and beat Anthony Fowler in his last bout in October.

Vargas has also competed at world level but hasn’t been under the lights since losing to Mikey Garcia in February 2020.

Smith vs Vargas: Date and start time

The 12-round super-welterweight clash will be held on Saturday, April 30.

It will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Smith vs Vargas will be the co-main event on the night and should get underway from 2am on Sunday morning UK time.

Smith vs Vargas: TV channel and live stream

The fight will be broadcast live on DAZN with their coverage starting at 1am Sunday UK time – the streaming service costs £7.99 per month, you can sign up .

It can be streamed via the DAZN app and can be viewed on smart TVs, game consoles, connected devices, mobile, tablets and computers.

talkSPORT will bring you all the latest news and action throughout the week.

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Smith vs Vargas: Undercard

Subject to change

• MAIN EVENT: Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano – for WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles
• Jessie Vargas vs Liam Smith
• Franchon Crews Dezurn vs Elin Cederroos – for WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO super-middleweight titles
• Austin Williams vs. Chordale Booker
• Galal Yafai vs. Miguel Cartagena
• Reshat Mati vs Joe Eli Hernandez
• Khalil Coe vs William Langston
• Skye Nicolson vs Shanecqua Paisley Davis

Smith vs Vargas: What’s been said?

Liam Smith: "With no title on the line I want fan-friendly fights and Jessie brings that. Two orthodoxes, both of us like to fight, none of us come to hold and make it a really scrappy affair, I feel it only gels for a good fight.

"On the other side, he’s a two-weight world champion trying to become a three-weight world champion, it’s a very good record to have on my resume. He’s only lost to Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley and Mikey Garcia.

"When you retire and they’re your only three losses, that’s some resume for yourself so I want to try and add my name to that.

"I don’t want to be having tick over fights at 33 years of age, I’ve been world champion. I can retire tomorrow and my CV I’m happy with, I’ve been British champion, Commonwealth champion, world champion, but I want to see what I’ve got left.

"Fighters like Jessie will tell me the answer to that question.

"I beat Jessie, I feel like I’ve got another crack left in me. If I don’t beat Jessie I’m not going to beat a world champion."