Liam Smith Accused of Punching Man on Ground
Liam Smith, a former world boxing champion, is accused of striking a man in the head while the man was on the ground and unable to stand. The court heard these allegations during Smith's first appearance at Manchester Crown Court.
Smith, who held the WBO light-middleweight title between 2015 and 2016, faces a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent. The charge stems from an alleged incident on September 13 involving a concierge worker at The Blade tower block in Deansgate.
The alleged victim, Laurent Nke, sustained facial injuries and required hospital treatment, the court was informed.
During a short hearing, Judge Tom Gilbart noted that CCTV captured the incident. Footage shows the defendant delivering two blows to the head of a person on the floor who was unable to rise. The cameras also reportedly show Smith pushing past individuals to continue the altercation and punch the man on the ground.
The hearing was adjourned until November 28, when Smith is expected to enter his plea. He was granted bail with conditions prohibiting contact with Nke and barring him from entering Manchester, except for court appearances or meetings with his solicitor.
A provisional trial date has been set for the week of March 15, 2028.
Smith, now residing in Formby, was reportedly scheduled for a comeback fight in Finland on September 4 but withdrew due to a calf injury.
The boxer, known as 'Beefy', comes from a family of professional boxers. He has previously fought notable opponents, including a loss to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
More recently, Smith had two fights against British rival Chris Eubank Jr., winning the first in January 2023 and losing the rematch eight months later.
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