Callum Smith will defend his WBA World, WBC Diamond and Ring Magazine Super-Middleweight titles against WBA mandatory challenger John Ryder at the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool on Saturday November 23, shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US. (photos by Dave Thompson)

Smith (26-0, 19 KOs) landed the WBA World title and was crowned World Boxing Super Series Champion following a stunning seventh round knockout victory over British rival George Groves in Saudi Arabia last September – a win that also saw the Liverpudlian claim the vacant Ring Championship.

john-ryder (10)_2

Ryder (28-4, 16 KOs) earned the number-one ranking with the WBA with a seventh round technical knockout win against previously undefeated Russian Andrey Sirotkin in their final eliminator clash at the Copper Box Arena in London last October.

john-ryder (6)_3

'The Gorilla' stopped Bilal Akkawy to win the vacant interim WBA Super-Middleweight title last time out on the undercard of Saul Alvarez-Daniel Jacobs at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and in doing so kept himself in line for Smith's crown.

john-ryder (7)_2

john-ryder (5)_3

john-ryder (9)_2

john-ryder (8)_2

john-ryder (4)_3

john-ryder (3)_3

john-ryder (1)_4

john-ryder (2)_4

callum-smith (9)_4

callum-smith (7)_6

callum-smith (5)_7

callum-smith (8)_4

callum-smith (6)_6

callum-smith (1)_8

callum-smith (2)_8

callum-smith (4)_7

callum-smith (3)_6