Paul Smith thinks that his WBO super-middleweight clash with Arthur Abraham this weekend has come at a perfect time in his career.
The Liverpudlian is widely viewed as the underdog against the veteran American, but the British champion believes that the clash has arrived at an ideal period for him.
"Boxing is all about timing," he told Sky Sports News. "If you look at all the great fights down the years, if they had been made at different times, would there have been a different outcome?
"[Lennox] Lewis versus [Mike] Tyson, [Evander] Holyfield versus Tyson, if you look at those fights, timing is key in all of them, and I think it is happening at the right time for me.
"All I ever wanted in life is three things; one is to be happy, one is to be the best dad I can be, and one is to be a world champion. I'm not getting the violin out or anything and I know it is cheesy, but I feel I'm doing the first two, I just need to become a champion now."
Smith, who has previously been beaten by George Groves and James DeGale, has 35 wins from 38 fights.
Paul Gorst
