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WBO Lightweight champion Joe Smith Jr. is set to face off against undefeated WBC and IBF champion Artur Beterbiev in a title unification bout on June 18. Moreover, he’s coming into the fight with a victory over Steve Geffrard knocking him out in the 9th round.

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This has directed a lot of attention towards the boxer and naturally, boxing fans wonder who the ‘Common Man’ is dating or married to?

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Who is Kelly Smith?

Joe Smith Jr. is married to his long-time girlfriend Kelly Smith. The couple had been dating for seven years before tying the knot, moreover the couple also have a daughter together named Liana, and Joe Smith is very open about his relationship, often posting pictures with his wife on social media.

However, it seems like his wife likes to be away from the public eye as she does not have a social media account and only appears in pictures with her husband. Other than that, there is very little information about her and it looks like she prefers to keep it that way.

Joe Smith’s boxing career

Also known as the ‘Common Man’, Joe Smith Jr. is an American Boxer competing in the light-heavyweight division. He stands at 6 feet tall and has a reach of 76 inches. Moreover, he has an impressive professional record of 28-3 with 22 KO wins and also currently holds the WBO championship. The 32-year-old made his debut back in 2009  with a victory over David Brown by TKO in the first round.

Read More: Don King Faces Heavy Criticism After Promoting a Fight in Miami

The defining moment of his career came when he became the first boxer to win via stoppage against former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, who retired after the fight. He then went on to win the WBO lightweight title beating Maxim Vlasov in 2020.

Joe Smith vs Artur Beterbiev

Smith is now set to take on undefeated Russian boxer Artur Beterbiev to unify the three belts, moreover he would look to gain a victory over the Russian so that he can challenge WBA champion Dmitry Bivol which would unify all the four belts.

However, this will not be a straightforward task for the American, as Beterbiev will be the heavy favourite coming in the fight with a record of 17-0 and a 100% knockout rate.

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Do you think Joe Smith can overcome Beterbiev in his next fight? Let us know in the comments.

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Sahil Sood

1,864 Articles

Sahil Sood is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports, who specializes in covering live events and core sports. Sahil holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has authored over 1300 articles at EssentiallySports. His coverage of Sylvester Stallone's training with Earnie Shavers was widely praised for its depth and insight. As a practitioner of Jiu-Jitsu and a passionate fan of combat sports, Sahil's love for the sport shines through in his writing. His favorite bout, Roberto Duran vs 'Sugar' Ray Leonard, is a testament to his appreciation for the all-time classics and his deep understanding of the technical aspects of boxing. Aside from his writing, Sahil's life revolves around his training for national tournaments, reflecting the same dedication and discipline that he brings to his work as a boxing writer.

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Ajinkya Aswale

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