Steve Geffrard relishes out-of-the-blue opportunity to fight Joe Smith Jr. for title
One minute Steve Geffrard was scheduled to fight an obscure opponent on an obscure card this past Saturday. The next minute he was fighting for a major world title the following week on national television.
As Geffard described it, “Unreal!”
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Geffard, who will face light heavyweight champ Joe Smith Jr. in the main event of an ESPN card Saturday. “It’s crazy how boxing works. One moment I’m thinking about boxing on a local show, then the phone rings for a chance to fight for the WBO world title on ESPN. Unreal!”
Geffrard (18-2, 12 KOs) is a good, experienced fighter but he appears to have received this opportunity mostly because he was in the right place at the right time.
Smith (27-3, 21 KOs) was originally scheduled to make the first defense of his title against Umar Salamov in October but couldn’t fight after contracting the coronavirus. He later agreed to defend against Callum Johnson on Jan. 15, a fight Geffrard had been looking forward to watching. Then it was reported Thursday that Johnson tested positive for COVID-19.
Geffrard received a phone call the next day, the eve of his eight-round fight with Argentine Gonzalo Andreasen in Delray Beach, Florida, not far from his home in Miami.
“All of the sudden I get a call from my coach Kevin Cunningham, and he says, ‘Man, Steve, you’re never going to believe this. They just called you to fight Joe Smith Jr. for the world title.’ I couldn’t believe it,” Geffrard said, as reported by BoxingScene.com.
He went on: “For me to get a call like that is insane. I know how hard it is to even get a world title shot. I have friends like Erickson Lubin who’s been ranked No. 1 in his division and stuff, and he keeps on having to title eliminator after title eliminator.
“I’ve seen guys like Dillian Whyte have to wait and stuff. I’ve barely been active, so for me to even get that call and that opportunity is insane.”
Inactive, indeed.
The one-time amateur standout defeated veteran Denis Grachev by a unanimous decision in an eight-round bout in March, his first fight after a three-year hiatus from the sport. He said he was in the gym much of his time off but that’s a long stretch without an actual fight.
On top of that, while Geffrard has won 18 consecutive fights after starting his career 0-2, he has taken part in only one fight scheduled for more than eight rounds – more than five years ago – and he has never faced anyone near Smith’s level.
Smith applauded Geffrard’s decision to take the plunge against one of the biggest punchers in the sport.
“I give Steve credit for taking this fight on short notice,” Smith said. “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.”
Geffrard is making no bold predictions. He’ll be happy just to be there.
“Not everybody gets this opportunity,” he said. “It’s the chance of a lifetime.”
