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    'Touching distance!' - Joshua Buatsi ready to chase light-heavyweight dream before Callum Smith bout

    'Touching distance!' - Joshua Buatsi ready to chase light-heavyweight dream before Callum Smith boutDAZN

    Josh Buatsi believes he is in "touching distance" of a light-heavyweight title, with Ben Shalom adding his man can prove his "elite-level" credentials against Callum Smith.

    The Briton will face his fellow countryman, looking to defend his WBO interim title, at Riyadh Season's The Last Crescendo, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View on February 22.

    Considered one of the division's biggest rising stars, Buatsi admitted that he was asked to bring his belt to Monday's pre-fight press conference but declined to do so.

    With Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol set to fight again on the same bill for the undisputed light-heavyweight crown, the 31-year-old reinforced his ambitions to cement his status as their next challenger.

    Beterbiev vs Bivol 2 / Dubois vs Parker

    "I'm in touching distance," he said. "I was asked to bring my interim belt [to this] but why would I do that when the real ones are behind me?

    "I've got to get Smith out of the way and that's all I'm fixated on. I've no doubt that February 22, I'll be there."

    BOXXER promoter Shalom echoed his star's comments, adding: "This fight means a lot to us. We've seen him go through the domestic divisio.

    "We've seen him pick up the WBA interim belt. But he wants a full world title. This opportunity against Callum Smith allows him to prove he is an elite-level fighter.

    "You have to be an elite-level fighter to beat Callum Smith. It's a huge opportunity, a huge platform and I expect Josh Buatsi to show why he is the next one in this division."

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