Callum Smith aiming for a World Title and a boxing legacy like heroes Eubank and Benn

By Dailystar.co.uk

CALLUM SMITH already has greater ambitions than joining the long list of British world champions.

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Callum Smith after a training session in August

The Liverpool super-middleweight knows he must first achieve his dream of winning a world title.

But he hopes the forthcoming World Boxing Super Series will provide him with the chance to become a household name.

Smith, 27, fights Swede Erik Skoglund in the quarter-final of the super-middleweight tournament on Saturday at Liverpool’s Echo Arena, with the bout being broadcast on ITV4.

Free-to-air television made Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn heroes in this country and Smith is hoping to follow in their footsteps.

With WBA champion George Groves, Chris Eubank Jnr and Jamie Cox also in the tournament, it could bring back memories of big super-middleweight duels from the 1990s.

“That was the main reason Eubank and Benn were so big because it was on ITV,” said Smith. “It does remind me of that. Four Brits in the tournament and it’s on ITV, it could bring back those days.

“I don’t want to win a world title and 10 years’ time only proper boxing fans to remember me.

“I want to be remembered. I want to be known across the country. I want when I retire that people still talk about me being in big and exciting fights.

“When you mention Callum Smith’s name, people would say, ‘He could fight’. That’s what I want.”

With this tournament comes financial reward with £20m in the prize pot. But it is the recognition that Smith is more interested in.

The winner will come out with the WBA title as Groves has brought his belt into the competition.

“The money is great,” said Smith. “But I’m not in this sport for money. I’m in it to be world champion.”

The tournament format means Smith will get his world title shot if he wins his next two bouts and the winner will be up there with IBF champion James DeGale and WBO title holder Gilberto Ramirez as the best in the division.

With that comes the pressure that Smith has to deliver on the prediction he and many others have made.

But he has been dealing with the pressure of living up to expectations ever since he followed his three older brothers into the Rotunda amateur club in Liverpool.

Paul, Stephen and Liam led the way by becoming British champions in the professional ranks and the latter is currently the family’s only world champion to date.

“I did have pressure of people expecting me to be good because of what they were doing,” said Smith.

“I’ve carried that pressure my whole career but I feel more pressure from myself. I set my own goals and if I retire and I haven’t won a world title then I will feel like I’ve underachieved.”