Callum Smith confirms Billy Joe Saunders offer to talkSPORT, says he expects Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to fight Gennady Golovkin next
One of the world's best super-middleweights wants to be in exciting fights at either 168lbs or up at light-heavyweight and offers the latest on his search for an opponent
Callum Smith is set to return to the ring in September and is open to the prospect of fighting Billy Joe Saunders.
The WBA world super-middleweight champion, who demolished Hassan N'Dam in New York on the Anthony Joshua undercard last month, has plenty of options on the table for his next fight.
One of those is WBO belt holder Saunders, with Frank Warren revealing in his latest talkSPORT column that he had contacted Smith about the possibility of facing his charge in an all-British unification showdown.
In response to Warren's comments, Smith confirmed he received an offer of a 50/50 split to face his fellow countryman on BT Sport pay-per-view and will discuss it with his team this week.
"That is a fight that probably does make sense," he said, speaking exclusively to talkSPORT's Fight Night. "How easy it is to make, I'm not too sure.
"I have never sat and called anyone out, I have always sat down with my team and have given the options and go with what is best. We will sit down and go with what is best for me.
"I am in a good position. There are a lot of big fights out there for me. The next years of my career are very exciting and I want to fight the best. I want to know how good I am myself.
"I believe in my own ability but when I do retire I want to know I maximised my potential and the only way to do that is by fighting some of the other best fighters in the world. That is the plan for me moving forward.
"I do believe they have made an offer. I'm not sure the ins and outs of it. I do believe it was a 50/50 split on BT Sport pay-per-view. That is the only detail I know so far. We will speak through it (this week) and if that is the next move, then that is the next move."
Smith has been targeting Mexican superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, the three-weight world champion who currently holds three middleweight world titles.
He is also willing to take on the former unified middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin, and would step up to light-heavyweight to take on the current ruler of the division, Sergey Kovalev.
But he expects Canelo and Golovkin to book a third meeting, while Anthony Yarde is in line to face Kovalev next.
"I think a lot of it is just down to Canelo,” said Smith. “I think he calls the shots.
“He is probably the biggest name in boxing in the minute. Who he wants to fight, he will fight.
“It’s good to be in the mix and if the phone rang it’s a fight I would definitely take, a fight I do want but, personally, I don’t think it will be me next because I still think he fights Golovkin to be honest with you.
“They’re all massive names. With the Kovalev one, I don’t think he can do super-middleweight and I think it would be a decision from myself.
“I don’t believe I would move up and then come back down, so if I move up now then that's me staying at 175.
“I do believe there are still big fights for me still at 168 before moving up. But if that fight was offered [Kovalev]... He is ranked number one at light-heavyweight so to be a two-weight world champion is something I have put on my list that I want to do. It is a fight that interests me.”
He continued: "I will fight in September regardless of whether it is over in the States or in Liverpool. My last three fights have all been abroad so it would be good to get one in Liverpool again and fight for the first time as world champion back at home.
"I've got a meeting with my team (this week), we will sit down and assess all the options and hopefully we can get some fight news pretty soon."