Early Sunday morning in Moscow, Russian Artur Beterbiev walked with a skating rink by Callum Smith and defended the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight titles. The fight in Quebec, Canada lasted until the seventh round, in which the Briton, who had never lost ahead of schedule, was knocked down twice, and then was saved by the seconds, who stopped the fight (the judge recorded a technical knockout).
Beterbiev's dominance in the ring is reflected in statistics: the champion surpassed Smith three times in the number of accurate hits. According to the CompuBox portal, the favorite delivered 182 punches to the target, and the challenger – only 59.
The record of 38-year-old Beterbiev is amazing: not a single defeat, 20 victories in 20 professional fights (all won by knockout). What more could a tough boxer want? Absolute world champion status. Just one fight – against compatriot Dmitry Bivol, who holds the World Boxing Association (WBA Super) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) titles – and the game will be over.
“”I was lucky. My coach and the whole team worked hard, this also affected. But I think I was still lucky,” Beterbiev said in an interview in the ring. “Of course, I want to get another, fourth belt. I want do your best in this weight class. Need to reach the top“.
As for Smith (29-2, 21 KO), the former super middleweight world champion accepted the defeat with dignity and praised the triumphant for an exemplary fight.
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"He had good rhythm and pressure, he didn't let me find my rhythm. Tonight the stronger one won. Beterbiev caught me with a good shot, it happens… Fair play and no excuses. “He was better,” the boxer told journalist Michael Benson.
After Beterbiev’s performance in Canada, the athlete’s coach Nuripasha Talibov told the agency that correctly chosen tactics deprived the Briton of his chances to win:
"I liked how Arthur fought the fight. To be honest, I expected more from Smith based on his previous fights in which he looked good. But Arthur didn’t let him do anything, he structured the fight very competently and did everything very clearly: he didn’t rush at his opponent, he saw all his actions, he managed everything and hit very powerfully. Well done. Beterbiev is already an established boxer. Now he just needs to approach the match (with Bivol) correctly in functional terms and choose the right tactics. And he has everything else: he knows why he boxes, he has no problems with motivation.”
But the former head coach of the Russian national team, Eduard Kravtsov, in a conversation with a correspondent, pointed out the problems that may arise when organizing the long-awaited meeting between Beterbiev and Bivol: “I think that the fight will most likely be held in one of the countries of the Middle East. But there are some difficulties in the organization. Everyone seems to be waiting for it, and both sides have said that they are ready for it. It would seem that the matter remains small, but in fact, the main thing is that the two platforms agree among themselves who will show it. And this, I think, is a fundamental question. And if the boxing teams are offered normal financial conditions, they will quickly agree among themselves.”
The boxer was congratulated on his 20th professional victory by the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, who on social networks called Beterbiev the best light heavyweight on the planet:
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“For the twentieth time out of twenty fights, Artur Beterbiev showed the whole world that he is the best in his weight category and it is no coincidence that he is the owner of three championship belts at once. The next challenger, Callum Smith, was unable to oppose the Chechen champion and take the high trophies <…>. Despite brilliant victories and enormous fame, Beterbiev always remains a modest and very religious man, a worthy son of the Chechen people. We are all proud that we have such a noble brother, who with titanic work raises the good name of our republic to the whole world! “.
Finally, the famous UFC commentator Joe Rogan enthusiastically wrote about the success of a Chechen of Dagestan origin:< br>“
"This man drags people into hell like no other. Artur Beterbiev, 20-0 with 20 knockouts. He's the first one to drop Callum Smith. I hope he gets the superfights he deserves before he retires. And I hope that people will appreciate how incredibly scary his skills and style are.”
So when is the meeting with Bivol? Promoter Bob Arum told IFL TV that Beterbiev will be ready to fight “three months after Ramadan.” Accordingly, the superfight may not take place until July.
Earlier, journalist Dan Rafael reported that Bivol and Beterbiev had already signed an agreement for a fight in Saudi Arabia.
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