Smith had hoped to add Beterbiev's WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight belts to his collection after having previously held the WBA (Super) title at super middleweight, but Beterbiev claimed a seventh-round stoppage in their Jan. 13 bout to set up an undisputed battle against Dmitry Bivol in June.

Meanwhile, Smith is now left to ponder his next move, and one former world title contender isn't sure if there's anything outside of light heavyweight for the Briton in the near future.

Speaking to Betway, Stephen Smith looked at his countryman's options.

"I’m not sure what’s next for Callum," he said. "Light heavyweight is fine for him, and he wants to win a world title at that weight.

"He wants to win a world title at that weight, and he won’t move up to cruiserweight until he has won a world title at light heavyweight but right now that is pretty difficult.

"If Artur Beterbiev was to knock Bivol out and he doesn’t want a rematch because it was a heavy defeat and frees the belts up then it might be an opportunity but at the moment the way the division is, it is pencilled in for an undisputed fight and more than likely there’ll be a rematch after it.

"It looks like the division is tied up for now and I wouldn’t see Callum having any ambition if that is the case (against Anthony Yarde or Joshua Buatsi). He might decide he’s had enough, but I don’t know.

"I’ve heard a few interviews that he might do this and that, but his ambition is to become [light heavyweight] world champion and the belts are tied up, I don’t think he’ll come back for a fight for money.

"I think the winner would need a title shot for him to have an ambition to come back and fight again.

"But it’s not me doing the camp, it’s Callum. He wants to be a two-weight world champion though and if it comes as an option and available then I know Callum will jump at it.

"I don’t think there’s much appeal for him at the moment."

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