Stephen Smith talks to Box.kom on the eve of his fight against Ben Jones
for the WBO Intercontinental Super-Featherweight Championship

B: Hi Stephen. Thanks for agreeing to this interview. I was made up for you when you had your recent decisive win in Munich. Can you try and put into words how it felt for you?

SS: Hello mate, yes it was a great feeling to get back to winning ways and also to get rid of 5 months of pent up frustration. It was much needed and is now behind me as I look to get back to where I belong.

I'm BACK!

B: The look on your face when you won was echoed by supporters all over and twitter told the story. How important is that support to you and what difference does it make?

SS: Support is everything to me! Can't put into words how much it means to me really, it drives me on knowing so many people want me to do well and also believe I can do well!

B: How has that win affected your confidence going in to fight for the vacant WBO inter-Continental Super Featherweight title in March?

Germany was a job well done for me

SS: Yes, I suppose its got me back to where I should be confidence wise, I would always have been VERY confident going into a fight with Ben Jones and now is no different so Germany was a job well done for me.

STEPHEN SMITH v BEN JONES PRESS CONFERENCE FOR IFILM, LONDON

B: You are from a famous family of boxers. How do your brothers help you in your career?

SS: Paul, Liam and Callum my 3 brothers are the biggest help in my career! They all go through similar situations to me and so are the best people for advice. Adding to that the fact that we are so so close, I'm really lucky to have a family like mine.

The Smith Brothers (L-R Callum, Stephen, Paul & Liam)

B: Do you guys find it hard to watch each other’s fights?

SS: Yes, I get more nervous watching my bothers fight than I do when I fight myself!

B: How did you first become involved in boxing?

SS: I first went because Paul went. He went because we lived across the road from the Rotunda ABC, him and his mates went in one day, the rest is history.

Paul, Liam and Callum, my 3 brothers, are the biggest help in my career!

B: You had an outstanding amateur career before turning pro, winning the won the featherweight division at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the 2006 European Amateur Boxing Championships. What was your most memorable moment as an amateur boxer?

SS: Definitely the Commonwealth Games Gold Medal. Being the other side of the world added to the pride, knowing my family and friends were all up through the night, the other side of the world watching me on tv, was an amazing feeling.

Commonwealth Gold

B: What decided you to turn pro?

SS: It was always an ambition of mine. All the boxers I watched and looked up to, wanting to emulate were pro's so it came from there really.

B: Which boxers have inspired you most in your boxing career and style?

SS: Sugar Ray Leonard. He had everything!

B: How do you mentally prepare for a fight?

SS: You just make sure you have ticked all the boxes! You have done everything you possibly can in training, then you know mentally that you couldn't have done anymore so you are 100 percent prepared.

B: Yeah, I can see how that would leave you feeling confident and ready. What about training? Can you outline a typical training day?

Preparing for Battle

SS: My typical training day will insist of...driving the gym from Liverpool to Bolton at 11am, then training there till 3pm doing different things each day like sparring, padwork, bagwork, shadow boxing, skipping, circuit training etc. Then of an evening 6pm I will do my running, sometimes road running, sometimes track running, sometimes hill running. Depends on the day and what Joe Gallagher our coach wants us to do.

B: What aspect of training do you least enjoy and why?

SS: The dieting and making weight. I love my food so the sacrificing and discipline involved here is definitely the worst part of the sport.

B: What would you say are your greatest strengths as a boxer?

SS: Probably my boxing brain, I can be an intelligent boxer when I choose to use my brain.

B; What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting boxing with regard to choosing a gym etc?

SS: Make sure your heart is in it. "You only get out what you put in"

The training from Joe is the best around in my opinion

B: You and your brothers all train with the well-known Gallagher’s Gym. What decided you on Gallagher’s and what have been the advantages of training there?

SS: The quality of lads in the gym for sparring is second to none and the training from Joe is the best around in my opinion. He leaves no stone unturned and will always strive to get the best from us.

B: Who has been your toughest opponent so far and why?

SS: Amateur and pro - Frankie Gavin. Possesses such skill, he can be untouchable on his day, true class act.

B: You have quite a strong online presence and make use of social media such as Facebook and twitter. How do you feel this can help a boxer with his career?

SS: I think it can be a good way to relate and mix with the fans, let's people get to know you a bit more and helps them see what type of person you are and what you get up to.

Click on image (above) to watch John Simpson vs Stephen Smith

B: Who would you like to be matched up against most and why?

SS: Lee Selby obviously. He is the only person to have beaten me and its something I want to put right and beat him and take back my titles.

B: Before signing off is there anything you would like to say to your fans reading this interview.

SS: Thank you very much for all the support, it really is appreciated and I promise I will always be giving it 100 percent to be the best that I can be.

B: Thanks Ste. It is always a pleasure following the fortunes of you and your brothers. Here’s to success in the future both in and out of the ring.

SS: Thanks very much mate.

Billy