Liam Smith has revealed that he has had discussions with Matchroom Boxing for a potential fight with welterweight star Conor Benn later this year. 

Smith hasn’t boxed since his stoppage defeat in his rematch with Chris Eubank Jr. last September, after previously knocking out Eubank seven months earlier. Smith blamed the defeat on an injury that delayed the rematch from its original date in June. 

Eubank decided to face Smith in their first contest after his fight with Benn was called off on fight week due to adverse findings in Benn’s drugs tests. Benn, who maintains his innocence, is in an ongoing battle to be able to box in the U.K. following two underwhelming performances in the United States. 

Smith has revealed that he has been in talks with promoter Eddie Hearn over a potential match up with the welterweight star: “Conor has been mentioned to me and like I have always said, I will take that fight in a heartbeat. I’d love that fight next, if there is one in-between, then great,” said Smith, speaking to IFL TV. “It got spoken about when I was in Canada [Callum Smith vs Beterbiev], Eddie asked me if I would fight him and I said, ‘Of course, I would love to’.” 

Smith is now a promotional free agent after his three-fight deal with Ben Shalom’s Boxxer expired. Smith has revealed that he also has received another offer from a UK promoter, but insisted he wants big names and big fights in order to sign. 

“It’s got to be a big fight… it’s who’s going to offer me names. Am I speaking to people? Yes. Have I got a few offers on the table? Yes. Have I picked one? No. Frank and George Warren have offered me names and Eddie [Hearn] and Frank [Smith] are in the middle of doing the same thing now. So, I’ll just see what’s the best option out of those two. But I’m coming off the back of a loss, so let’s be realistic. 

“I’m not going to get a world title fight, and one win in a comeback fight is not going to get me a world title fight either. I’m not going to carry on boxing if I’m not going to get big fights.”