Joe Smith Jr. had been expecting to fight Callum Johnson tonight but it was not to be.
His challenger had to pull out after contracting Covid-19 - in similar circumstances to his original bout against Maxim Vlasov that saw Vlasov pull out with an infection.
Last October, Smith himself was due to face Umar Salamov, but this time the title holder came down with coronavirus, and the Russian could not get a visa for the rematch.
That led to Johnson stepping in, only to suffer another cancellation, and now Steve Geffrard, the WBO-ranked number 15 was picked.
"I give Steve credit for taking this fight on short notice,” Smith said in a press release. “He is a tough guy, and I expect him to bring everything he has for this opportunity. I'm ready to fight regardless of who is in the ring with me. My goal is the same, which is to defend my world title and keep it on Long Island where it belongs."
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime," Geffrard said.
Here is everything you need to know about Joe Smith Jr. vs. Steve Geffrard.
When is Joe Smith Jr. vs. Steve Geffrard tonight?
Date: Saturday, January 15
Main card: 10 p.m. ET / 3 a.m. GMT
Main event ringwalks (approx): 11 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. GMT
The main card gets underway at 10 p.m. ET / 3 a.m. GMT with the main event ring walks set to take place at 11 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. GMT. As ever with fight cards, these timings are subject to change due to the length of the undercard fights.
What channel/stream is Smith vs. Geffrard on tonight?
United States: ESPN, ESPN+
United Kingdom: Sky Sports
Viewers in the United States can watch the fight on ESPN and is available via streaming on ESPN+. Those in the UK can watch the fight on Sky Sports.
Where is the Smith vs. Geffrard fight tonight?
The fight will take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
Joe Smith Jr. record and bio
Nationality: American
Date of Birth: Sept. 20, 1989
Height: 6-0
Reach: 76"
Total Fights: 30
Record: 27-3 with 21 knockouts.
Steve Geffrard record and bio
Nationality: American
Date of Birth: N/A
Height: 6-2
Reach: N/A
Total Fights: 20
Record: 18-2 with 12 knockouts.
Joe Smith Jr. vs. Steve Geffrard fight card
- Joe Smith Jr. vs. Steve Geffrard for Smith’s WBO light heavyweight title
- Abraham Nova vs. William Encarnacion; Featherweight
- Troy Isley vs. Harry Keenan Cruz Cubano; Middleweight
- Jahi Tucker vs. Akeem Black; Welterweight