Nobody Could Beat Artur Beterbiev at Light Heavyweight Including Dnitri Bivol
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 20 Jan 2024
No one has a chance to defeat Artur Beterbiev at light heavyweight, not even WBA titlist Dmitri Bivol who the Russian bruiser is targeting next to become undisputed champion of 175 pounders.
At this early, most boxing experts are foreseeing Bivol to trouble Beterbiev with his fine boxing and movement in the earlier to middle rounds only to succumb to the power of the Russian in the later rounds with Beterbiev prevailing by knockout or stoppage.
Which Beterbiev has done against all the twenty opponents has faced in his pro career, many falling by or before the fifth round. Beterbiev is undefeated in 20 pro bouts, all his wins coming by KO or TKO.
Only Oleksander Gvozdyk of Ukraine had lasted up to the tenth round in losing his WBC belt to Beterbiev in 2019. Former unified super middleweight champion Callum Smith was stopped in the seventh round by Beterbiev in failed attempt to wrest his unified titles.
Both Gvozdyk at 6-2 and Smith at 6-3 towered over Beterbiev who was a shade below six feet.
At six feet flat, Bivol will also enjoy a slight height advantage over Beterbiev.
But as before, Beterbiev will have the other physical and power advantages having the built and strength of virtually a smallish heavyweight. Not even the tall and muscular British contender Anthony Yarde was able to dent the Russian who proceeded to score a 5th round TKO in another recent fight.
Beterbiev's distinct advantage aside from his "smallish heavyweight" physique is that he has been used to fighting and beating bigger opponents from his amateur days ten years ago. Among his amateur days rivals was current unified heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk whom he reportedly managed to knock doom and defeat once in three fights.
Usyk and Beterbiev last met in the quarter finals of the 2012 London Olympics with Usyk winning on points on the way to the gold medal at the heavyweight class.
Saudi Arabia is keen to hold the Beterbiev vs Bivol match for the undisputed light heavyweight championship and anticipating Beterbiev victory even his challenge next for the cruiserweight title against Jai Opetania of New Zealand.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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