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Callum Smith was last seen in action on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 where he defeated Joshua Buatsi in an entertaining back-and-forth contest. Smith outworked his opponent and thoroughly deserved the victory. Attention quickly turned to what’s next for the Liverpudlian, and “Mundo” recently spoke to Boxing Social, revealing the latest on a potential fight with David Benavidez as well as his honest opinion on the unbeaten WBC light heavyweight champion.
Callum Smith Next Fight: World Title Opportunity Remains a Possibility
Smith Gives Latest on Benavidez Negotiations
Speaking to Boxing Social, Smith spoke about what is most likely next for him following his win over Joshua Buatsi: “From what I’m hearing, the (David) Benavidez one is probably a little bit further along in terms of talks and negotiations even though that fight is nowhere near done, but there been an amount of talks what I hear from Eddie (Hearn) with PBC over getting the Benavidez fight done,” said Smith.
“I’m in a good position, regardless of who I fight next. It should be a good fight. The goal remains the same – I want to be a two-weight world champion, and i’ll do whatever I have to do to get there,” added Smith.
‘Mundo’ Gives Honest Take on Benavidez
Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) was then asked what he thinks of David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) as a fighter: “He’s a really good fighter. I knew of him a long time. We were both world champions at the same time down at 168 and I’ve always rated him as a fighter. I like his personality. I think he’s good for boxing and I think stylistically we make a pretty good fight together,” said Smith.
He added: “If I were to retire tomorrow, the one fight I feel probably should have happened but never was, would be the Benavidez one. We were at 168 together but we were both massive 168’s so both had the potential to move to 175 and we both have now so I think it’s a fight that will happen at some point, hopefully now it’s next, and he’s WBC champion so there’s a lot more at stake.”
Callum Smith, the WBO interim title holder has enjoyed a memorable career, but his performance against Buatsi showed there’s plenty of desire left. He’ll need every bit of that hunger and ring IQ to deal with the heavy-handed Benavidez, who inherited the full WBC title following the decision from Dmitry Bivol to vacate.
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Bombshell report expands on culture issues within 0-2 Dolphins
A Wednesday report shared that the Miami Dolphins "did a lot of work in the offseason to try to transform their team culture" before they opened the ongoing campaign with back-to-back losses. For a lengthy piece published on Thursday, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN expanded on alleged culture issues that have impacted the Dolphins under head coach Mike McDaniel, who has been in his role since 2022. Mike McDaniel hasn't run a tight ship with Dolphins "Multiple sources in and around the team said tardiness was an issue throughout this past season," Louis-Jacques revealed. "...One current Dolphins player said he believed some captains this past season took advantage of the role. [Cornerback Jalen Ramsey] and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who were two of the eight players voted captains in 2024, were among repeat offenders who received numerous fines throughout the season. Players were often late to practice and meetings, with multiple team sources suggesting it reflected a lack of respect for the first-time coach McDaniel -- who was hesitant to publicly admonish players outside of posting fines." On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted that Dolphins players "believe the culture is better after the franchise moved on from several key players, many of whom did not appear happy there." Specifically, Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith were traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a pick swap in June. Safety Jevon Holland left the Dolphins and signed with the New York Giants in free agency. As for Hill, questions about his dedication to the cause arose when he subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale and then told reporters that he was "out" this past January. He later publicly apologized for his actions but has remained the subject of trade rumors through September. Are McDaniel and Dolphins general manager Chris Grier on the hot seat? Whispers throughout the offseason suggested Dolphins owner Stephen Ross could part ways with McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier if the club finished this season without at least a playoff appearance. McDaniel has yet to guide the Dolphins to a single postseason win, and his team was coming off an 8-9 campaign before it dropped two straight games this month. Another report revealed Ross' stance on McDaniel, but it comes with a caveat. Louis-Jacques offered this take: "A source familiar with Ross' thinking told ESPN this offseason they don't believe McDaniel's and Grier's job security is as simple as 'playoffs or bust,' and reiterated that sentiment after Week 1," Louis-Jacques wrote. "...Although there is a limit to [Ross'] patience with the team's results. After a winless start to the 2025 season, and prime-time games against division opponents coming, there will be increased outside attention on how far Ross' patience will stretch." As of Thursday morning, ESPN BET had the winless Dolphins as massive 11.5-point road underdogs for Thursday night's game at the 2-0 Buffalo Bills. One can't help but wonder how Ross may react if Miami gets blown out at Buffalo's Highmark Stadium.
Packers Get Good News Regarding TE Tucker Kraft’s Knee Injury
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Packers TE Tucker Kraft had “a little scare but all good” regarding the knee injury he suffered during Thursday’s practice squad. “I think he will be OK,” Schefter’s source added. The Packers were optimistic that Kraft’s knee injury wasn’t a season-threatening issue, but they had to get tests run before saying for certain. It’s still unclear whether he will be able to play in Week 3. Kraft, 24, was a two-year starter for South Dakota State and earned first-team All-American honors in 2021 and third-team in 2022. The Packers selected him in the third round with the No. 78 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s in the third year of a four-year, $5,537,934 rookie contract that included a $1,027,588 signing bonus. In 2025, Kraft has appeared in two games for the Packers and caught eight passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns.
Liam Doyle Makes a Dazzling Debut for the Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals’ 2025 season saw the arrival of highly-touted prospect Liam Doyle. He wasted no time making an impact. The left-handed pitcher selected fifth overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, has swiftly moved through the Cardinals’ minor league system. Furthermore, he has showcased the high-octane stuff that made him a top-five pick. Doyle, known for his “fiery competitiveness” and “swing and miss stuff,” was a standout at the University of Tennessee, where he was named the 2025 Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year. His college career was marked by a remarkable strikeout rate. Impressively, he shattered Tennessee’s single-season strikeout record. This dominance continued as he transitioned to professional baseball. Doyle Impressive in Debut The 21-year-old southpaw began his professional career with a debut for the Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals. In his first outing, he recorded three strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings, signaling his ability to overpower hitters. His performance was strong enough that the organization quickly promoted him. The Cardinals assigned Doyle to the Double-A Springfield Cardinals to help with their playoff push. In his Double-A debut, Doyle was just as effective, striking out three batters in two scoreless innings. His overall minor league stats for the 2025 season show a combined 2.45 ERA with six strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched across both levels. While the sample size is small, his ability to generate a high number of strikeouts and hold opponents scoreless, particularly at the Double-A level, is a testament to his talent. Powerful Arsenal The lefty’s arsenal is centered around a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has reached 100 mph. Also, he has a solid slider and cutter, which has allowed him to dominate hitters. Scouts note his ability to get the most out of his body with a high-effort, up-tempo delivery. His rapid promotion to Double-A shows the Cardinals’ belief in his potential to be a key part of their future rotation. As the season concludes, Doyle’s impressive debut should give fans some hope for the future. Furthermore, the fireball-throwing lefty has solidified his position as one of the Cardinals’ top prospects and should be able to contribute at the big league level soon.
'You kept your mouth shut': College Football Hall of Famer praises Georgia star
Count College Football Hall of Famer and CBS Sports analyst Aaron Taylor among the fans of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who led the Bulldogs to a thrilling 44-41 overtime win against Tennessee on the road on Saturday. The SEC matchup was touted as Stockton's first true test as Georgia's QB this season. "I'm going to give the game ball this week to Gunner Stockton," Taylor said Tuesday. Added the analyst: "Gunner, you represent everything that's great about football and this sport. You kept your mouth shut and you delivered when it mattered most. You pushed all the chips in on yourself, you bet on yourself and you dropped a dime and rose to the moment when your best is needed." Gunner Stockton sat behind Carson Beck, Stetson Bennett Stockton is in his first season as a full-time starter for the No. 5 Bulldogs (3-0). He enrolled at Georgia in 2022 and sat behind Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck. However, the 21-year-old redshirt junior got considerable playing time in Georgia's postseason run last season. Stockton helped lead the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship Game win over Texas after Beck suffered an injury and also started in Georgia's College Football Playoff loss against Notre Dame. The matchup against Tennessee was Stockton's first career start against an SEC opponent. Against the Volunteers, he threw for 304 yards, two touchdowns and completed 74 percent of his passes. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound QB displayed poise despite playing in a hostile environment in a rivalry the Bulldogs have won nine consecutive times. Gunner Stockton threw key TD pass late against Tennessee In a 4th-and-7 situation with Georgia trailing 38-30 late in the fourth quarter, Stockton threw a 28-yard TD pass to wideout London Humphreys to give the Bulldogs a chance to tie. Stockton then converted a two-point conversion pass to Zachariah Branch to tie the score at 38. Stockton also contributed 38 yards rushing and a TD. Georgia HC Kirby Smart's offense is predicated on the power game, and Stockton executed the game plan perfectly. Taylor, who starred at Notre Dame from 1990-93, knows football, and he likes what he sees in the Georgia QB. "It was the way he blocked out all of the noise," Taylor said about Stockton. "Somehow he had humility but confidence."
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