Callum Smith Chews Up Mathieu Bauderlique in Four!
While contesting in a significant WBC light heavyweight title eliminator, Callum “Mundo” Smith (29-1, 21 KO’s) took on Mathieu Bauderlique (21-2, 12 KO’s). The two traded leather under the hot lights of the Jeddah Superdome stationed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Despite being only his second fight in the division, Smith came into the contest ranked #1 (WBC).
Yet, his true claim to fame came at 168 pounds. In September of 2018, the 6’3” fighter from Great Britain overpowered and stopped countryman George Groves in seven rounds to capture the WBA Super middleweight Super title and win the WBSS super middleweight tournament. After defending the belt twice, he took a shot at glory and challenged WBC 168-pound champ, Canelo Alvarez, in December 2019. Smith lasted the distance but got battered and beat up in a unanimous decision defeat.
With aspirations of winning a second world title, he took on Bauderlique, a Frenchman southpaw who had lofty expectations since winning Bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Ranked number #2 (WBC), he earned this opportunity with a seventh-round stoppage of Igor Mikhalkin in his previous outing in September 2021.
SHORT NIGHT
The two men got right at it as they traded more hooks than lifelong fisherman friends during the opening round. Both men had success and both men had their moments leading the action and fighting off the back foot. Little changed about the fight dynamics over the next few rounds though. Bauderlique was having his moment but it was Smith who was more consistently functioning as the ring general.
Then, in the fourth, Mundo dropped Bauderlique with a counter left hook that took a serious chunk out of his French foe. Bauderlique survived for a spell shuffling around the ring, but Smith caught him again with a nasty hook that folded him like a cookout lawn chair. This time the match was brought to a quick close. It will be interesting to see who Smith can pen a bout with next. In his post-fight interview, while he did not call out a specific opponent, Mundo made his desire to be a world champion clear.
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By: Bakari Simpson
