Liam Smith became the latest boxer to express his wish to fight at Anfield following his victory over Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday night.
But he's not the first Merseyside fighter to hope for a contest at the home of his favourite football team.
Tony Bellew did it in 2016 when he knocked out Illunga Makubu on an emotional night at Goodison Park. But several of his peers in both boxing and MMA are hoping to follow in his footsteps and throw down at either Anfield, Goodison Park or perhaps even Everton's new home at Bramley-Moore Dock.
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Here are five of the most likely candidates:
Liam Smith – Anfield
Liam Smith has just got one of the biggest wins of his career and in impressive fashion. A TKO victory over Chris Eubank Jr has thrown the former world champion back into the mix with some of the biggest names in the sport and he is open to all comers.
A rematch with Eubank is still on the cards, but on one condition. Smith had told Sky Sports he would want that rematch in his hometown in the stadium of the club he holds most dear, Anfield. That match-up , however, isn’t the only fight he’d be willing to take in the stadium that holds over 50,000 people. Names such as Gennady Golovkin (Triple G) and even Kell Brook were also possible candidates according to Smith.
Paddy Pimblett – Anfield
Since his entrance into the UFC, Paddy Pimblett has been calling for ‘UFC Anfield’ and firmly believes he will be the one to bring the promotion to LFC’s stadium. Although the fighter is yet to even fight a ranked opponent in the UFC, the Scouser is already one of the biggest draws in the promotion and has even featured as a co-main event to a UFC pay-per-view just four fights into his UFC career.
Pimblett had previously admitted to wanting the development of the Anfield Road stand to be finished before bringing the MMA promotion to the stadium. Pimblett said: “I want to wait until that Anfield Road stand is finished anyway, so there’s more capacity. I know for a fact I’ll sell that out - easy. That gets sold out.”
Molly McCann – Goodison Park
Molly McCann is one of the most outspoken fighters in the UFC. The flyweight has skyrocketed in popularity following back-to-back knockout wins and alongside the rise of her friend and teammate Paddy Pimblett.
McCann is certainly the UFC’s biggest Everton fan. Regularly attending games and even being photographed storming the pitch with hundreds of Everton fans following their relegation survival last season, McCann is extremely familiar with Goodison Park, gifting UFC champions Everton shirts and converting fellow fighters, proving the 32-year-old would likely do anything to bring the UFC to her home stadium.
Darren Till – Anfield
Darren Till is another UFC star who has previously declared that the fans deserve ‘UFC Anfield’. The middleweight has been marketing the trip to Liverpool's home since his days in the welterweight division following his win over Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in 2018. Till had told ESPN following the fight that he believed it would be possible, saying: "Listen, I didn't think that the ECHO (Arena) would happen, but it did," Till said. "The ECHO website crashed on the day of ticket sales. While it was down, there were 70,000 clicks for tickets -- that means a stadium sell-out.”
The 30-year-old may not have as much momentum as he once had in his race to the top of the UFC but has never let go of his Anfield dreams. Even during his current middleweight run, Till has spoken about fighting the (then) champion Israel Adesanya at Anfield. "That would be the dream fight - me vs. Israel. I think that would sell out a stadium and obviously look what it would bring to Liverpool. It would just be such a legacy-changing fight. I think it'd be unbelievable."
Peter McGrail – Goodison Park
Early in his professional career, Peter McGrail is on his way to becoming a big name in boxing. At only 6-0 had a decorated amateur career and even featured in the 2020 (2021) Olympics. Now a professional, McGrail is on a destructive path and doing all the right things.
McGrail was the headliner during Probellum’s latest Liverpool show last year at the Olympia in Kensington where he beat Alexander Espinoza. The 26-year-old has fought all over the world and is on his way to becoming one of Liverpool and the UK’s biggest fighters. McGrail and his brother, both Evertonians, would likely chomp at the bit to take the ‘sweet science’ to Goodison, or perhaps even Everton's next stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Speaking to the ECHO last year, he said: “After seeing Bellew at Goodison, and how good of a night that was. That must have been one of the best nights he had in boxing.
“It would be good for me and our Joe to do the same. I think by the time I get to that level we probably will be in Bramley-Moore.
“But yeah, that is the aim for us, to become world champion in Bramley-Moore. It would be good to actually become world champion there, you never know.”
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