Liverpool’s former world champion, Liam Smith, will end a near 18-month absence from the ring in May – and typically ‘Beefy’ is doing it the hard way.

The 32-year-old, who held the WBO super-welterweight title from 2015-2016, will meet undefeated Russian Magomed Kurbanov, in Russia, on Saturday May 8.

Smith (29-2-1, 16 KOs) will travel to Ekaterinburg for the fight with Kurbanov (21-0, 13 KOs), with the WBO International super-welterweight title on the line.

Kurbanov has never boxed outside of his home city, while Smith is used to testing travel assignments.

In 2016 he faced pound for pound great Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Arlington Texas, and two years later travelled to Las Vegas where he fought the still undefeated Mexican Jaime Munguia.

They remain the only blemishes on Smith’s ring record.

In 2017 Kurbanov saw a proposed contest with the great Shane Moseley fall down, and almost came unstuck against relatively unknown Czech fighter Stepan Horvath, then the WBO’s number 5 ranked contender.

Kurbanov, nicknamed the Black Lion, was dropped on his way to winning a close unanimous decision and acquiring the vacant WBO International light middleweight title in the process.

Kurbanov, 25, is considered a box-puncher who clearly carries some power. But Smith has boxed in much higher company throughout his career.

‘Beefy’ was last in action in December 2019, as he defeated Roberto Garcia by unanimous decision in Phoenix, Arizona. It was his third win in a row, following stoppage victories over Mario Alberto Lozano and Sam Eggington earlier in the year.

Kurbanov’s most recent outing was in November 2020, where he stopped Dmitry Mikhaylenko in just two rounds.