Callum Smith-Hassan N’Dam “very close” for Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Jr. undercard

By Patrick L. Stumberg

Badlefthook.com

Strike another TBA from the board.

Less than three weeks before showtime, Eddie Hearn tells ESPN that they may have finally found an opponent for Callum Smith on the June 1st Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Jr. card: Hassan N’Dam.

“It’s very close,” [Hearn] said. “We’re probably 24, 48 hours away from it being finalized.”

N’Dam (37-3, 21 KO) was an iffy choice when he was part of the Gennady Golovkin sweepstakes and doesn’t look to fare much better here. The French veteran, now 35, is a lifelong middleweight who has only weighed in above 165 pounds twice. One of them was against Tomasz Gargula, who was in the midst of what is now a 14-fight losing streak. He’ll give up around four inches of both height and reach to Smith (25-0, 18 KO) in the latter’s first defense of the WBA “super” title he knocked out George Groves to win last September.

This is what procrastination gets you, I suppose.

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