The new boxing year gets off with a bang tomorrow night in Quebec City, Canada in the light-heavyweight (175 pound/12st,7lbs) division.
Current IBF, WBC and WBO champion Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KO’s), arguably one of the finest boxers in the world, meets former unified super-middleweight (168 lbs/12st) champion Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KO’s) in an excellent match up.
Promoted by Top Rank it’s a world class contest almost a year in the making. The original fight date was postponed due to Beterbiev sustaining a jaw infection. The quality of both boxers though is undeniable and their differing physical stature and skillsets point towards an intriguing fight.
Beterbiev, age 38, from Dagestan but a naturalised Russian, is a former amateur world champion who competed at the London 2012 Olympics at heavyweight (91kg). He didn’t medal, losing to the eventual gold medallist and current unified professional world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. This was his last defeat.
The Russian’s pedigree before, and since turning professional, is outstanding. He possesses the only 100% KO record of any current world champion and is considered the ‘boogieman’ of the division, a real ‘beast’ of a fighter. His power is substantial and the nature of his emphatic stoppage wins prove it. He tends to meticulously work his way forward throwing power shots and either takes his opponents out with a single blow or eventually grinds them down.
He has though shown earlier fallibility by being dropped by another Briton Callum Johnson a few years ago. He did though get up to win emphatically.
To give Smith further hope, for a time in Beterbiev’s last world title defence against Anthony Yarde in London a year ago, his muscular opponent was able to withstand the Russian’s power before ultimately succumbing in the eighth round. Whether the challenger has he physical and mental toughness to do similar and prevail himself is the conundrum. Smith has power of his own and his big punch is the left hook which he lands from all angles, preceded by a strong jab which he maximises due to his 6ft 3in frame.
Smith, from Liverpool, England, at 33, is clearly the younger man, being effectively ‘born’ into the sport. He has a family of siblings who’ve all boxed at world level, some winning titles. He’s less miles on the clock than his opponent and this could be a factor. Whether it influences and determines the outcome is a key unknown.
Beterbiev, as dominant and imposing as he’s been in recent years could be close to the end of his professional career, but it would take a brave person to bet against him. Tomorrow the Russian has a chance to silence any doubters.
The ‘alternate’ WBA 175lbs champion is other Russian, Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KO’s) who was The Ring magazine fighter of the year for 2022. A unification ‘superfight’ potentially awaits between both Russians, but is depended on Beterbiev being successful tomorrow. That, in itself, puts additional pressure on him going in but as of now he’s seemed undeterred by it, preferring not to look ahead.
At Thursday’s final press conference the height differential was noticeable with the Brit towering above the champion. Both fighters appear confident and in today’s weigh in both came in comfortably (Smith 174.6 and Beterbiev 175 lbs).
Beterbiev, after spending the first three weeks of training camp in the Russian mountains on arrival in Canada was honed by local trainer Marc Ramsey who’s been with him for the majority of his North American career. The Russian has earnt well but is now on the cusp of the Bivol showdown.
Smith has regrouped since losing his world super-middleweight (12st/168lbs) titles to modern legend Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. He has won two fairly non-descript fights since moving up a weight class. Now is the ‘acid-test’.
He was known for his toughness and concussive power as a twelve stoner and the key will be whether he can carry that up and absorb the older mans shots. He’s prepared for this fight with respected US trainer and ex-world champion James ‘Buddy’ McGirt who will have knocked off any edges Smith possessed and instilled in him a mental toughness and street mentality. Plus he will have devised an effective game-plan.
We see this being an excellent fight; developing by the mid-rounds into a toe-to-toe shootout with the tougher, attritional Beterbiev ultimately prevailing by stoppage. Smith will be ‘game’ throughout and have his successes, but the Russian will work to the Brit’s long torso and systematically break him down. We predict this by the ninth round.
The Liverpudlian will not be disgraced and come out of the contest with his stock raised further to keep him on at the elite level, albeit temporarily domestically.
The division is red hot in the UK with world ranked Brits facing off and vying for superiority across the board. First up is Joshua Buatsi (17-0, 13 KO’s) against Dan Azeez (20-0, 13 KO’s), scheduled for January 27 in London. There are also good fights to be had between these two, former double world title challenger Anthony Yarde and Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur, among others.
By the early hours of Sunday morning (UK time) we will know how things have shaken out on the world level and whether Russia truly is dominant in this division. It will be fun whilst it lasts. Enjoy.
The event will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports (3am GMT) and on ESPN+ in the US.
The Undisputed 