Liam Smith would not turn down the opportunity to secure a world title shot in the middleweight division, according to his promoter Ben Shalom of BOXXER.

Smith, a former WBO junior middleweight champion, returns on Saturday night, against upset-artist Hassan Mwakinyo at the M&S Bank Arena in his home city of Liverpool.

Shalom views Mwakinyo as a very dangerous opponent.

"This is make or break for him," Shalom told Sky Sports. "He's looked good. He's knocked out his last three opponents. So we know he can punch and he didn't think he'd get the chance again in the UK in a big fight and he's got one. So obviously for him this is everything."

Provided he wins, Smith would like to get himself in position for a big fight.

And one possibility is newly crowned WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly.

Earlier this week, Alimkhanuly was elevated from interim to full champion status after reigning beltholder Demetrius Andrade took a pass on facing him in a mandatory defense and decided to move up to super middleweight.

If the opportunity to collide with Alimkhanuly was on the table, Smith would welcome the proposal with open arms - and that is one of the scenarios that Shalom will explore if everything goes well in Smith's upcoming fight.

"I don't think Janibek is a fight he would avoid," Shalom said. "Liam wouldn't turn down any fight, especially for a world title, Janibek is probably the most avoided fighter in the world at the moment, genuinely. Everyone's trying to jump out of the way of that one. Eubank could have taken it for a world title, [Demetrius] Andrade's moving around.

"It's one that genuine middleweights don't want but Liam Smith is as I said a world-class operator and he would look at any fight with confidence. He's going to have options."