Joe Smith vs Callum Johnson on January 15 in Verona is official

Joe Smith Jr., Long Island's working class hero, will make the much anticipated first defense of his WBO light heavyweight title against a British knockout Callum Johnson January 15th in Verona, New York. The Smith-Johnson bout will lead the Top Rank's 2022 debut on ESPN.

Smith was scheduled to defend his title on October 30 in New York, but a COVID-19 diagnosis delayed his return until 2022. In the second main event of the evening in a 10-round featherweight bout, undefeated Abraham "El Super" Nova of Albany, NY will face Mexican Jose Enrique Vivas.

“Joe Smith Jr. is always up to the task, but he will face a tough rival in the person of Callum Johnson. This event is not to be missed and will kick off the year 2022 of Top Rank on ESPN, said Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. - Vivas is an excellent test for such a young and undefeated boxer like Nova. As in the main event, the audience will witness an epic battle."