Rivals Smith and Williams conclude media tour at the Cardiff City Hall

Photo credit: Huw Fairclough

Liam Smith and Liam Williams concluded their two-city media tour today at the Cardiff City hall ahead of their eagerly-anticipated all-British showdown at the Manchester Arena on Saturday 8th April, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Liverpool’s Smith, 23-1-1 13 KO’s, was completely unfazed by the boisterous Welsh fight fans in attendance and even said that Williams was ‘lost’ on the top table without his trainer and manager Gary Lockett.

“How are you saying he’s going to beat me?” asked Smith. “I’ll show you how wrong you are to say that. If you think he’ll beat me you’re forgetting things. I was British Champion three years ago and I think people seem to forget that.

“This is a step up for him and I’ll show that it is a step too far. I’m massively confident of beating Liam Williams, he hasn’t got a lot of variety and that will show, especially if it comes down to a slugfest. Liam is lost up here on the top table without Gary.”

Clydach Vale star Williams, 16-0-1 11 KO’s, dismissed claims that Smith is an elite fighter and predicted that his strength and power will be too much for the former WBO World Champion to handle on the night.

“I think I’m physically stronger and bigger that Liam Smith and that will cause him problems all night long”, said Williams. “This fight is a step up for me but Smith is by no means an elite fighter. I need to prove myself and move on to the next level.

“This is the most motivated I’ve been in my career. Everything is going perfectly in my camp and it is definitely going to be a cracking fight for the fans. I’m excited and I know that I can beat him.I think I do things just that little bit better than him and that will show on April 8th.”

Smith vs. Williams is part of an unmissable evening of action at the Manchester Arena on April 8th; local hero Terry Flanagan makes the fifth defence of his WBO World Lightweight crown against dangerous Russian Petr Petrov; slick South African Zolani Tete faces Arthur Villanueva in a final eliminator for the WBO World Bantamweight strap ; double Olympic Gold Medallist and women’s boxing icon Nicola Adams OBE fights for the first time as a professional and former Team GB Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois makes his highly-anticipated professional debut.

Elsewhere on the card former World Title challenger Jimmy Kelly takes on Bolton man Rick Godding in a tasty local tear-up; rising Super-Featherweight star Zelfa Barrett fights over six; Liverpool Super-Welterweight James Metcalf takes on Heywood’s Mark Thompson; undefeated Super-Lightweight Steven Lewis faces Andy Keates; Oldham Super-Middleweight Mark Heffron, Ellesmere Port Super-Welterweight Mason Cartwright, Manchester Cruiserweight Jordan Thompson and Super-Middleweight Anthony Leak complete a stacked card.

Tickets for April 8 priced £50, £70, £100, £150, £200, £300 and VIP £500 are available from eventim at www.eventim.co.uk and 0844 249 1000 and the Manchester Arena at www.manchester-arena.com and 0844 847 8000.