Joe Smith Jr faces Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight title on Saturday night
New York hardman, Joe Smith Jr gets a second crack at world honours, and he faces Russia’s Maxim Vlasov, with the vacant WBO Light Heavyweight title the prize for the winner at the Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma this Saturday night.
Smith Jr (26-3, 21 KOs) and Vlasov (45-3, 26 KOs) were scheduled to clash back in February, but the latter tested positive for COVID-19 with the contest just days away.
The belt was vacated by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez after his win over Sergey Kovalev, but the Russian saw his chance to regain the title go up in smoke with a failed drug test scuppering his return in January.