Eddie Hearn and Liam Smith targets Jessie Vargas fight next!
Moments after taking out #10 WBO, #11 WBA and #13 IBF ranked junior middleweight contender Anthony “The Machine” Fowler (15-2, 12KOs) in eight rounds, Liam Smith (30-3-1, 17KOs) turned his attention to the future. The former WBO junior middleweight champion, who’s ranked #5 in the WBO, is itching for another world title opportunity. He is now seeking a fight with two-division world champion Jessie Vargas.
Smith and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, said the following regarding a possible scrap with Vargas.
Liam Smith: “Hopefully now I can get that Jessie Vargas fight.”
Eddie Hearn: “The Jessie Vargas fight will be on the table for early next year.”
Vargas, who’s interested in the fight as well, took to his Twitter account offering his congratulations.
“Congratulations @LiamBeefySmith I’m glad you got out of those first few rounds 😉”
Thought to be ripe for the picking by team Fowler, Smith would prove otherwise by dropping his opponent twice before closing the show in the eighth round.
A fight with Vargas would be a crossroads fight. Vargas hasn’t fought since being outclassed by Mikey Garcia over 12 rounds in February of 2020. A Las Vegas, Nevada native, he has shared the ring with a “Who’s Who” of top fighters. That list includes Humberto Soto, Adrien Broner, Manny Pacquiao, Antonio DeMarco and Tim Bradley.
Both, Smith and Vargas, are former world champions with a wealth of experience. A fight between the two would surely provide the winner with a bigger fight at 154. Guys like Erickson Lubin, Tony Harrison, Sebastian Fundora, Jesion Rosario and Jarrett Hurd all occupy the division. The opportunity for good fights still remain for Smith. However, it seems that it’ll be Vargas up next for Smith in 2022.
Regardless of what’s next for the man known as “Beefy”, his sight is set on a world title opportunity, with Vargas being a potential roadblock.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
