As Callum Smith approaches his 35th birthday on April 23 next year, the clock seems to be ticking on his ambitions in boxing’s highly competitive light heavyweight division. Early this year in January, his bid to unify the division ended in disappointment when Artur Beterbiev stopped him in the seventh round. Now, the Liverpool-born former champion is determined to reignite his career.

Tomorrow, at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena, Callum Smith will take on Colombian fighter Carlos Galvan in an eight-round bout. The Matchroom event, titled ‘Bloodline’ and headlined by the Sunny Edwards–Galal Yafai fight, offers Smith an opportunity to end the year on a high note. With the light heavyweight division undergoing significant changes, future bouts against Anthony Yarde and Joshua Buatsi could pave the way for Smith’s return to the championship conversation. Before his fight tomorrow, let’s analyze how Callum Smith stacks up against Carlos Galvan.

Callum Smith vs. Carlos Galvan: Breaking Down the Fighters’ Vital Stats before the Clash

Smith is roughly a year older than his Colombian counterpart, who was born on July 9, 1991. Additionally, he seems to have a clear physical advantage over Galvan. Standing at six feet and three inches, or 191 centimeters, and a reach of 78 inches, or 198 centimeters, he towers over the five feet and eight inches, or 173 centimeters, tall Galvan, who records a reach of 69 inches, or 175 centimeters. The event’s final weigh-ins are over. Callum Smith tipped the scales at 179.8 pounds, slightly heavier than Carlos Galvan’s 175.6 pounds.

Adding up the not-so-recent loss to Beterbiev, Callum Smith has suffered two defeats in a professional career that started in 2012. His reputation as a heavy hitter is backed by the fact that he secured nearly 72% of his 29 wins through knockouts. Carlos Galvan, on the other hand, may have started his professional journey a year before Smith did. However, his record is marred with losses and draws. The Barcelona-based boxer has thus far won 20 fights at the cost of 14 defeats (9 KOs) and two draws. Galvan’s 95% knockout-to-win rate underscores his power in the ring.

Callum Smith vs. Carlos Galvan: Who has the advantage?

Callum Smith enters the fight as the overwhelming favorite, with predictions giving him a 97% chance of victory. Galvan’s recent performances have been inconsistent. Last February, he claimed the vacant Colombian light heavyweight title after knocking out Likar Ramos.

However, his career has faced challenges since then. The draw against Franco Ezequiel Acosta followed an 11-month break. With Serhat Guler knocking him out in Germany, the situation didn’t improve. The pattern of defeats continued as he suffered a unanimous loss to Sanderson Diaz last month. Though they occurred in different weight classes, interestingly, some of Galvan’s defeats came at the hands of prominent names such as Caleb Plant, Bakhram Murtazaliev, and Janibek Alimkhanuly.

So why did Callum Smith pick up this fight if he is aiming to secure a world championship again? Many fans might be wondering. Despite his sketchy record, it’s worth noting that Carlos Galvan has been the more active boxer in recent months. This raises the question: Will Smith’s layoff since January affect his performance, or will his superior skills and experience shine through?

Before one jumps to conclusions, it would be wise to consider that both of Callum Smith’s losses were inflicted by two of boxing’s biggest names—Canelo Alvarez and Artur Beterbiev. After the 2020 loss to Alvarez, he decided to try his luck at a division above. Two knockout wins followed in succession. However, Beterbiev derailed his plans whatsoever.

Breakdown of fighting style

As far as style is concerned, apart from the fact that he prefers to go full throttle against his opponents, not much is known about Carlos Galvan. He may attempt to close the gap and land a decisive blow early in the fight. In all likelihood, Callum Smith could be expected to take full advantage of his height and reach. He would use it to maintain the distance from the heavy hitter and thereby control the pace of the fight.

In Callum Smith, Carlos Galvan will meet an equally strong, if not stronger, adversary. ‘Mundo’ is known for delivering sharp, painful hooks and uppercuts. Remember, he remains one of the few who took Canelo Alvarez the whole distance. Hence, if tomorrow’s fight also touches the final bell, then it shouldn’t surprise anyone. One thing is for sure: fans can expect an exciting, action-packed bout.

Our prediction: Callum Smith is poised to dominate the encounter, and a knockout victory seems the most likely outcome. The fight offers him a chance to regain momentum as he eyes bigger challenges ahead.

What about you? Do you think Carlos Galvan could stage an upset tomorrow night?