Artur Beterbiev (c) vs. Callum Johnson - October 6, 2018

[Ruthless-RKO]

Callum Johnson looks to be next in line for a shot at the world title.

The Boston light-heavyweight, who knocked out Frank Buglioni in the opening round at the O2 Arena in London back in March to add the British title to his Commonwealth belt.

It was widely expected that Johnson would either make a defence of the titles or move on to European level.

But he has been offered an unlikely shot at Artur Beterbiev, the IBF champion at the weight, and the 32-year-old Joe Gallagher-trained Commonwealth Games gold medallist has accepted the terms for the fight.

His promoter Eddie Hearn revealed on social media that he had received a letter from the sanctioning body ordering the contest.

“The IBF went down the rankings for Beterbiev's mandatory and everybody said no,” Hearn told Boxing Scene about the fight. “Then the new rankings came out and because Johnson beat Buglioni, he was the one guy that they hadn't asked, so they asked him and he took it straight away.

“He'll have the fight and I like his cojones, but we've still got to get the money and I won't let him take the fight for small money and we will work that out over the next few weeks.”

Further details will be revealed in due course.

[Mexi-Box]

Poor Johnson. Didn't even get his career started, but Beterbiev has been fighting sporadically. It's ridiculous how he's been managed.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Poor Johnson. Didn't even get his career started, but Beterbiev has been fighting sporadically. It's ridiculous how he's been managed.

Absolute poor management and promotion!!

[DA1]

Poor Johnson. Didn't even get his career started, but Beterbiev has been fighting sporadically. It's ridiculous how he's been managed.

He had a friend who just signed with his management recently. I can't remember his name, but that had me scratching my head. Why sign with someone who's trying to ruin your buddy's career; do you want the same happening to you??


Edit: Its Arslanbek Makhmudov
https://www.BS.com/arslanbek-m ... el--126131

[Ruthless-RKO]

Michel Expects Judge to Validate Contract With Artur Beterbiev

Yvon Michel is confident his company will promote three of boxing’s light heavyweight champions come August 4.

The Quebec-based promoter expects Adonis Stevenson to beat Badou Jack and retain his WBC 175-pound championship Saturday night in Toronto. Michel also predicted contender Eleider Alvarez will upset Sergey Kovalev to win the WBO 175-pound crown August 4 in Atlantic City.

Before either of those two fights take place, however, Michel told BS.com that he is certain a superior court judge in Montreal will rule in his favor this week in his contract dispute with IBF light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev. Proceedings began on Monday in Montreal.

Russia’s Beterbiev (12-0, 12 KOs) announced through his Instagram account just over a year ago that he had terminated his promotional partnership with Michel, with whom Beterbiev had worked since relocating to Montreal and turning pro in June 2013. Reportedly, Beterbiev believes he wasn’t paid the minimum purses that his contract called for him to earn, nor was he offered the minimum number of fights per that deal.

Michel completely disagrees.
“We really believe the judge will grant us justice and confirm our contract is valid with him. So we will have three of the four champions in or around our city.”

Prominent promoters throughout the boxing industry will pay close attention to the Montreal judge’s ruling this week, just in case Beterbiev is declared a free agent. The hard-hitting Beterbiev is one of boxing’s most punishing punchers and is in position to land a high-profile title unification fight within the stacked light heavyweight division.

The 33-year-old Beterbiev knocked out Germany’s Enrico Koelling (25-2, 8 KOs) in the 12th round six months ago to win the IBF 175-pound championship Andre Ward relinquished when he retired last September. The November 11 card on which Beterbiev beat Koelling was promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. because Top Rank won the purse bid for the right to promote that IBF-mandated match.

Michel is convinced his company, Group Yvon Michel, will promote Beterbiev’s first title defense.

“We haven’t done anything that deserves to have this contract invalidated. He was paid a lot of money. We gave him the opportunities. Look, if would not have been injured, he would’ve fought Kovalev, probably, in his third year in boxing. He became a world champion [after] his 11th fight. We have done a great, great job with him, and it’s really pitiful that he doesn’t realize that.”

The injury to which Michel referred was a shoulder injury that prohibited Beterbiev from fighting for nearly a year – from June 12, 2015, until June 4, 2016.

[Ruthless-RKO]

https://www.BS.com/hearn-talks ... te--128593

Hearn said if it goes to purse bid, it could be 85-15 split! Wtf!

[Taansend]

Battle of the frequent fighters.

Beterbiev has to be a big favourite but Johnson can crack too. Should be a cracking bout. Even a game losing effort can boost Johnsons image.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Mexi-Box]

Wow, October 6th is absolutely ridiculous. Beterbiev should be fighting sooner.

[3132DW]

Wow, October 6th is absolutely ridiculous. Beterbiev should be fighting sooner.

Maybe if he didn’t sign stupid promotional contracts and then go through the courts and lose he’d be fighting more often.

It’s his fault his careers stalled due to bad decisions /management.