Liam Smith believes beating Sadam Ali will put him "back at the top of the tree", ahead of Amir Khan and Kell Brook.

On May 12th, Smith travels to Verona, New York, to face the WBO World Super-Welterweight Champion, who makes the first defence of the belt he won against Miguel Cotto in December.

Smith spoke to Steve Bunce on Bunce's Boxing Hour last week about his thoughts on Ali, plus potentially facing Khan or Brook in a big domestic dust-up.

Asked if he fancied taking on one of his British rivals, he replied: "Yeah I do. I think they've probably got their own options of fighting each other. But if I go and beat Sadam Ali, that's a spanner in the works for them two. Both of them will want me and my title," predicted 'Beefy'.

Brook recently made the move to 154lbs, bouncing back from defeats to Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence by stopping Sergey Rabchenko in two rounds earlier this month, while Khan make his return for the first time in nearly two years, when he faces Phil Lo Greco on April 21 in Liverpool. The fight with Lo Greco will be Khan's first under Matchroom.

"As much as people will say 'Amir Khan's top' or 'Kell Brook's top', I go and beat Sadam Ali I'm back at the top of that tree and I've got the World Title," argued Smith. "I've got the piece of the puzzle that they'll probably want.

"I beat Sadam Ali and I'm in a massive position again for big fights!"

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