Image source, Reuters

Both Callum Smith and Erik Skoglund weighed in at half a pound under the 168lbs limit.

The 27-year-old Liverpudlian is unbeaten in his 22 fights so far, while 26-year-old Skoglund is 26-0.

Someone's record has got to give.

It's time for the national anthems, so how about a quick look at how this pair compare?

"From Liverpool, England..."

Now there's a roar. Callum Smith's name gets the Liverpool Echo Arena bubbling.

Is that a bit of Deacon Blue? "Wages Day" is Smith's choice...

Who needs Eurovision.

Here comes the contender from Sweden.

"Erikkkkk Skoglunnnd...."

Now what tune does a super-middleweight Swede strut out to? You've got it, a little bit of Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds".

Composed as they come. Love it.

The laser show has started at the Liverpool Echo Arena... I reckon that must mean something's a-cooking over on Merseyside.

It's nearly time to start the quest for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.

Talking of the draw...

The winner of of this one will fight whoever progresses from next month's match-up between fellow quarter-finalists Jurgen Braehmer and Robert Brant.

On the other side of the pile, Chris Eubank Jnr faces Turkey's Avni Yildirim in Stuttgart on 7 October, a week before George Groves defends his WBA title against Jamie Cox.

Jamie Cox, of course, faces fellow Brit George Groves in the quarter-finals...

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German promoters Sauerland and Ringstar Sports' Richard Schaefer hope the World Boxing Super Series will make a telling mark in the sport.

"It was different to your standard news conference - it had a bit of glamour and showbiz," said Callum Smith about the official draw in Monaco in July.

"We didn't rehearse anything; it was completely random. We were told to have two picks in mind just in case our preferred pick was chosen ahead of you.

"So if (George) Groves had picked Skoglund first, I would have had to go with another fighter."

Image source, Getty Images

Callum Smith opens the super-middleweight competition against Sweden's Erik Skoglund in his home city at Liverpool's Echo Arena.

He joins compatriots George Groves, Jamie Cox and Chris Eubank Jr in the tournament, creating the prospect of an all-British final next year.

"I view it as a big opportunity to make a name for myself," said Smith.

"These fights could make me a household name and a superstar in the sport. I believe I'm more than capable of becoming the best in the division and winning this tournament can only help me get there."

Image source, Getty Images

The Muhammad Ali Trophy the two World Boxing Super Series winners will receive was designed by the late Silvio Gazzaniga, who created and designed the Fifa World Cup trophy in 1971.

The two tournaments will boast a $25m prize fund, with the winner of each expected to rake in a haul of $10m in total across the three victories required to land the title.

Boxing does not have the choice of using a penalty shootout to decide any tournament match which ends in a draw on the scorecards, so a quirk in scoring the bouts has been introduced.

Any fight deadlocked on all three cards will see a fourth ringside judge called upon. If their card is also level, the winner of the final round of the bout progresses.

First, to Liverpool... but what is the World Boxing Super Series?

It's been hailed the "Champions League of boxing", with the new event offering a $50m prize fund, a trophy named after Muhammad Ali and its tournament format aims to deliver a flow of easy-to-follow storylines for fans.

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It will run two tournaments, one for cruiserweights and one for super-middleweights. Within each, eight men will compete from a quarter-final stage through to an eventual winner being crowned in each weight category.

Along the way, if a fighter meets an opponent who is currently a world champion, that belt will be on the line.

Quarter-finals aim to be completed by the end of October, semi-finals by the close of February 2018 and winners decided by May.

Image source, Reuters

Things were ticking along fairly quietly in the build-up to Billy Joe Saunders' WBO middleweight title defence against Willie Monroe Jr.

Until Friday's weigh-in...

Suddenly the story became not Saunders, but his seven-year-old son Stevie.

Image source, Reuters

It's the senior Saunders stepping into the ring tonight at the Copper Box Arena, though, as he looks to edge a step closer to a unification bout with the winner of Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin.

Meanwhile, in Liverpool, there's the small matter of some World Boxing Super Series action as Callum Smith faces Erik Skoglund.

Oh what a feast.

Image source, Reuters