If Beiterbiev fought Shabransky this week it would be his most dangerous opponent so far

[victor-romeo]

Yet Kovalev is fighting Shabransky and it is considered a step down for Kovalev

[Enlightened-One]

Disagree.

There’s nothing wrong with fight fans having their own opinions, but they aren’t entitled to their own facts.

I’m glad you appreciate Sergey Kovalev’s talents, but please don’t embellish the situation to suit your preferred narrative.

[Lackeos]

It definitely is a step down for Kovalev. I agree that Beterbiev's opposition has been SIGNIFICANTLY worse than Kovalev's. I don't agree that Shabransky would necessarily be Beterbiev's best opponent, though. It's possible that the 2014 versions of Campillo and Cloud were better than Shabranky.

[victor-romeo]

It definitely is a step down for Kovalev. I agree that Beterbiev's opposition has been SIGNIFICANTLY worse than Kovalev's. I don't agree that Shabransky would necessarily be Beterbiev's best opponent, though. It's possible that the 2014 versions of Campillo and Cloud were better than Shabranky.

You are right Campillo and Cloud are respectable names, but I seem to remember them being well past their best when they fought Betervbiev , but you are right it is possible Campillo and Cloud where greater threat than Shabrasky , I don't think so but it is a plausible point of view.

[Blodhemn]

Campillo and Cloud were corpses when Beterbiev fought them. Shabranskyy is at least in his prime.

[Cloutov]

The way a fight end doesn t mean a fighter is past his prime. I remember Cloud was very energetic in the first before feeling Beterbiev s power.. Campillo always been a hard fight. Arthur put both on the retirement path

[Kalan]

Yet Kovalev is fighting Shabransky and it is considered a step down for Kovalev

It isn't Beterbiev's fault that he easily beat Kovalev twice in the amateurs and has been kicked downstairs by Al Haymon... Artur had a fight with Kovalev all set for Russia and Haymon put the Kabosh on it -- and refused to match him with Chickenson who Beterbiev would kill... Kovalev ended up performing very poorly against Chilemba so Beterbiev would have knocked him out.

Because he had LESS than one (1) round of actual fighting in the previous year and a half, Beterbiev allowed Koelling to go 12 before knocking him out.. He's in his 5th year as a professional fighter and he's had NO opportunity because he a damned good Eastern European.. If a guy is destroying all his opponents and has a 100% KO ratio you fight him often and keep him super sharp -- the way MIke Tyson was matched when he turned pro..

Mike Tyson won no Gold Medals and didn't have an illustrious 310 fight amateur career like Beterbiev -- nevertheless he was a puncher. His management lined up 28 fights for him in the first 18 months after Mike turned pro including a World Heavyweight Championship FIght at age 20. That's how you do it... You don't let a great puncher and technician sit on his ass forever and rust out unless you're Al Haymon.

[ElJefe]

The title is probably true. It's also true that Kovalev has been a pro for an extra 4 years and has had 20+ more fights. So it's also not really surprising. Time wise, Beterbiev was probably about 6 months behind Kovalev in winning a world title. Sergey hadn't really fought great opposition until that point. It's what Beterbiev does now that really counts.