Joshua Buatsi, 19-0 (13 KOs), and Callum Smith, 30-2 (22 KOs), were respectful and focused on the task at hand as they came face to face at the press conference to announce their upcoming light heavyweight fight.

The two Brit’s will meet on February 22nd’s outstanding Riyadh Season event in Saudi Arabia.

Buatsi will put his WBO Interim title on the line and whoever comes out on top of the intriguing fight will position themselves for a shot at the winner of the show’s main event; the rematch between undisputed light heavyweight champion, Artur Beterbiev, and Dmitry Bivol.

It is twelve months to the day since Smith was stopped in the seventh round of a bid for Beterbiev’s unified WBO, WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles in Quebec but although he did consider his future after the defeat, the 34 year-old Liverpudlian always maintained that he would continue fighting if the right challenge presented itself.

Smith got back in the ring and recorded a straightforward win over Carlos Galvan last November and the fight with Buatsi was announced swiftly afterwards.

Fighting Buatsi ticks all the right boxes. A victory will provide the former WBA and Ring Magazine super middleweight champion with a shortcut back to world title level and another chance to accomplish a long held objective.

“The fire’s still here. I always set myself goals and I’ve been lucky enough throughout my career to achieve them all but I set a goal to become a two-weight world champion and it’s still not done,” Smith said at Monday’s press conference.

“That’s why I’m here. I believe I’m still good enough to do it and a win over Josh puts me one step closer to being there.

“It’s a good fight. its a great fight and I respect Josh as a fighter but he’s got something I want. He’s a WBO interim world champion and taking his belt puts me a little bit closer to where I want to be so there’s a lot at stake for me.

“I always said that if something motivated me then I’d get up, go to there gym and give everything I had. This fight definitely motivates me so I’ll do everything I can in my power to make sure that the best version of me steps through those ropes on February 22nd and I believe I’m good enough to get the job done.”

Buatsi won the WBO interim belt by outpointing Willy Hutchinson at the Riyadh Season London event at Wembley Stadium last September.

The following month, Beterbiev squeaked past Bivol to become the first undisputed champion at 175lbs since Roy Jones held the title back in 2002. So good - and so close - was the fight that a rematch was almost inevitable and a deal was quickly concluded for the pair to return to Riyadh.

Not wanting to wait months for Beterbiev and Bivol to conclude their business before getting his shot, Buatsi has elected to stay busy.

The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist is an outstanding talent who has always given the impression that he would be at his best when it mattered the most.

The 31 year-old routinely produces spells and flashes of his undoubted ability but the dominant win over Hutchinson was arguably the closest he has come to piecing together a complete performance. Buatsi was excellent and dropped the Scotsman twice en route to a ridiculously scored split decision win.

It still feels like the Londoner’s best nights lie ahead of him and although he will need to produce the most complete display of his career if he is to get past Smith, Buatsi knows that the stakes have never been higher.

“I’m touching distance away,” Buatsi said. “I was asked to bring my interim belt but I said, ‘Why would i do that when the real one’s behind me?’

“I’ve gotta get Smith out of the way and that’s all I’m fixated on.

“No doubt. February 22nd I’ll be there.”