Austin Trout Willing To Travel, Face Liam Smith in The UK

By Edward Chaykovsky

Former WBA world champion Austin Trout (30-2, 17KOs) has no problem with packing up his suitcase and traveling over to the UK to challenge unbeaten Liam 'Beefy' Smith (22-0-1, 12KOs) for the WBO junior middleweight championship.

Smith captured the vacant belt last October with a TKO in seven of John Thsompson. He made his first defense two month later, when he stopped unbeaten Jimmy Kelly in seven rounds as well.

Tourt has won his last four, including three of them by knockout, after losing back to back decisions to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Erislandy Lara.

Trout, who last fought in September, is ranked at number 2 under the WBO. He hopes to earn a mandatory shot or that Smith faces him in a voluntary defense.

"I hope to make it to the point where he has no choice, but we know Liam Smith, he's a bulldog, he's a fighter, and I'm sure he's not running from anybody.
If the WBO doesn't make him fight me, I'll go and get another belt and then we'll unify. But either way, if he keeps hold of that belt, I'm coming for it," Trout told Sky Sports.

"I plan on being champion real soon and Liam Smith, he's being busy like a good champion should. If the WBO doesn't make him fight me, I'll go and get another belt and then we'll unify. But either way, if he keeps hold of that belt, I'm coming for it. I would love to come across the pond. I've been wanting to get back to England since my amateur days."

Smith's trainer, Joe Gallagher, has a lot of respect for Trout and what he brings to the table in a fight.

"Austin Trout is a good fighter," Gallagher told Sky Sports. "We've seen what he did against Alvarez and some thought he even won the fight. Liam is a world champion now and it's up to his team to make the right choice."