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

[tigermoth87]

Damn Callum should have jumped on the beast after that knockdown, his only chance really, because he looked massively outgunned up to then. I thought his chin might be ABs weakness and surprising the BT commentary didn’t realise he’d been put over before,

Great effort by Callum he showed real balls.

I'm surprised Callum didn't pile on the pressure after the kd. He barely through a punch for the rest of the round. A shame because Beterbiev did look hurt. He let Beterbiev back into it by not piling in.

He did well though. Was a competitive fight.

[KiwiRider]

Well, it was a little more competitive than expected.

Too right!
Callum was a live dog in that fight.
He tried his best. Showed heart. I can't fault him really. He used what he had, didn't hold back too much, and put on a fan friendly fight. Plenty of good fights out there for him. He was man enough to take that fight where others had turned it down. So what if he failed. Nice try IMO.

[DrDuke]

Well, it was a little more competitive than expected.

Too right!
Callum was a live dog in that fight.
He tried his best. Showed heart. I can't fault him really. He used what he had, didn't hold back too much, and put on a fan friendly fight. Plenty of good fights out there for him. He was man enough to take that fight where others had turned it down. So what if he failed. Nice try IMO.

Yeah, he should be given a credit for heart, he was fighting even after a knockdown and had some success then, but such tactics against a better opponent, who was a hard-hitter, wasn't smart at all and led to the proposed outcome.

[handsofstone]

Gutted for Johnson but he could be proud of his effort, Beterbiev showing again why he's one of the most damaging punchers in the sport, felt sorry for Johnson after getting put down in the 1st, seemed to switch off after leaning through the ropes when Beterbiev nailed him with that right hand, fair play to Johnson though dropped Beterbiev with a well timed left hook counter in the 2nd, Beterbiev's legs looked a bit shaky as he go up but Johnson looked like he didn't want to get too carried away and stayed calm, Beterbiev seemed to regain control after it though, the right hand to finish off Johnson caught him high on the head and you can see Johnson's legs struggle to get back on their feet

Commendable effort from Johnson he should be proud but Beterbiev's power is awesome

[jamamb]

ya great effort and fun fight

get callum a euro title shot

[Boxerbeetle]

Enjoyable fight, but very frustrating that Johnson didn’t jump on Berterbiev straight after the knockdown, it was his only realistic chance of winning and unfortunately he blew it.

[Oiky]

What a effort from Johnson

[forcefraser]

Enjoyable fight, but very frustrating that Johnson didn’t jump on Berterbiev straight after the knockdown, it was his only realistic chance of winning and unfortunately he blew it.

My thoughts exactly. He was shaken up. He just stood off him

[TheLeprechaun]

Johnson stayed on the front foot and tried to draw leads from a big puncher so he could counter with his own shots. He really believed in his power and tried to take the initiative from the first bell (is it me or am i sounding like Jim Watt?). Beterbiev was definitely as hurt as we have ever seen him, he looked really stunned. Its a shame johnson didn't have elusive head and upper body movement. I also would have liked to have seen him switch it up and go for a walk at times. He was fighting in an intense way. Ultimately he became a bit too predictable for Beterbiev, who has so many amateur fights and must have seen something there which led to him setting up the final shot. Johnson shipped a very hard punch indeed but as world title challenges go, it was a cracking effort. We know he has world class power.

Johnson can come again at world level. That performance is what the Americans want to see.

[handsofstone]

Enjoyable fight, but very frustrating that Johnson didn’t jump on Berterbiev straight after the knockdown, it was his only realistic chance of winning and unfortunately he blew it.

My thoughts exactly. He was shaken up. He just stood off him

Its one of those ones where if he did go for the finish and got clipped people would be saying he shouldn't have got carried away, there's definitely a fine line when it comes to dropping a dangerous puncher on what to do

On saying that Beterbiev did look shaky in rising so in hindsight maybe Johnson will feel he let him off the hook

[handsofstone]

Johnson stayed on the front foot and tried to draw leads from a big puncher so he could counter with his own shots. He really believed in his power and tried to take the initiative from the first bell (is it me or am i sounding like Jim Watt?). Beterbiev was definitely as hurt as we have ever seen him, he looked really stunned. Its a shame johnson didn't have elusive head and upper body movement. I also would have liked to have seen him switch it up and go for a walk at times. He was fighting in an intense way. Ultimately he became a bit too predictable and shipped a very hard punch indeed.

[jamamb]

remember cal had just been hurt himself (bert got dropped as he left himself open going for the kill ) so maybe he was still recovering himself or not thinking most clearly

[TheLeprechaun]

Enjoyable fight, but very frustrating that Johnson didn’t jump on Berterbiev straight after the knockdown, it was his only realistic chance of winning and unfortunately he blew it.

My thoughts exactly. He was shaken up. He just stood off him

Its one of those ones where if he did go for the finish and got clipped people would be saying he shouldn't have got carried away, there's definitely a fine line when it comes to dropping a dangerous puncher on what to do

On saying that Beterbiev did look shaky in rising so in hindsight maybe Johnson will feel he let him off the hook

Johnson didnt realize how hurt Beterbiev was. I thought it was impressive how Beterbiev handled that entire situation. He knows how to compose himself and, as well as having the scariest face in boxing he may also have the best poker face in boxing. But the camera caught him with his back to johnson when he was getting up and his eyes were all at sea as he tried to compose himself. I think he was still pretty hurt when they resumed. But you could tell he's been hurt in fights before. He went back to his poker face and made himself look even more composed.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Damn Callum should have jumped on the beast after that knockdown, his only chance really, because he looked massively outgunned up to then. I thought his chin might be ABs weakness and surprising the BT commentary didn’t realise he’d been put over before,

Great effort by Callum he showed real balls.

You mean Sky commentary?

[MightyWarrior]

Oh yes Sky, I did wonder why BT had bothered drafting in the useless Darren barker on comm.

[keirw]

Anyone else think Johnson was a bit unlucky with the first knockdown?
The ref clearly calls for a break in the action and Johnson geta clobbered while following the refs instruction.

Good fight though, and a deserved winner in the end.

Johnson gave it his all but came up short against the better man on the night. He can be proud of his effort.

[MightyWarrior]

Yes thought the sky crew missed that too, Callum was walloped on the chin after the ref called break ...

Plus commentator thought he was hit on the chest...

[PredatorHayds]

Anyone else think Johnson was a bit unlucky with the first knockdown?
The ref clearly calls for a break in the action and Johnson geta clobbered while following the refs instruction.

Good fight though, and a deserved winner in the end.

Johnson gave it his all but came up short against the better man on the night. He can be proud of his effort.

Yes. Ref should of stood between them as soon as his head went through the ropes.
Also he shouted stop just as AB threw that huge punch.
Awful reffing though pretty much gave AB a free shot. Can’t blame AB for taking it though.
Watched a load of Beterbiev over the years amateur and pro.
IMO he may of peaked a couple of years ago. Seems a bit slower with the marginal foot movements and his short punches are hard but not as snappy.

[Boxerbeetle]

Enjoyable fight, but very frustrating that Johnson didn’t jump on Berterbiev straight after the knockdown, it was his only realistic chance of winning and unfortunately he blew it.

My thoughts exactly. He was shaken up. He just stood off him

Its one of those ones where if he did go for the finish and got clipped people would be saying he shouldn't have got carried away, there's definitely a fine line when it comes to dropping a dangerous puncher on what to do

Nah, I’ve always believed that if you manage to drop a dangerous puncher (with a proper hard shot, not talking about flash knockdowns here), you need to jump all over them and try to get them out of there ASAP.

Especially in cases like last night - Johnson had no realistic way of outboxing Beterbiev and had already been down heavily himself in the first round, so he should have known this was potentially his only chance. He didn’t take it and, hey presto, he doesn’t get another opportunity to take and gets knocked out himself shortly afterwards.

Of course, I realise it’s easy to criticise from the outside. Maybe Johnson didn’t realise how badly Beterbiev was hurt, and maybe he was still too dazed himself from his own knockdown to put the pressure on. But my view is that Johnson will rue a huge opportunity missed there. And imo, the corner should have been shouting him in like mad (although admittedly they might have been and it just didn’t come across on tv).

[jamamb]

he was staggered right before he scored the knockdown, he wasnt simply recovering from the first round. the whole reason he scored it is because beterbiev had just right there had him shaky and in trouble again, but then bert got careless following up, leaving him open to that hook

im not sure john could analyse things as clearly in that state when hed just been rattled by hard shots, i think around the top of the head . id guess he still was plenty hurt himself and took that time as his own recovery period

basically, his only possible route to victory was an extremely painful won that involved huge risk

[jamamb]

the cards on boxrec say 29-27, 28-27, 28-27 all for johnson

seems strange to me, first that one judge didnt score a 10-8 for berterbiev even though he clearly got the better of most of round 1 and got credited with a knockdown , and second that all three had johnson winning round 3, ive watched that and he was hurt and in no way wins that round imo. for all three to give it to him i just dont get

moot point i guess

[Boxerbeetle]

the cards on boxrec say 29-27, 28-27, 28-27 all for johnson

seems strange to me, first that one judge didnt score a 10-8 for berterbiev even though he clearly got the better of most of round 1 and got credited with a knockdown , and second that all three had johnson winning round 3, ive watched that and he was hurt and in no way wins that round imo. for all three to give it to him i just dont get

moot point i guess

Hmmm, so they do. Very strange.

[Ruthless-RKO]

the cards on boxrec say 29-27, 28-27, 28-27 all for johnson

seems strange to me, first that one judge didnt score a 10-8 for berterbiev even though he clearly got the better of most of round 1 and got credited with a knockdown , and second that all three had johnson winning round 3, ive watched that and he was hurt and in no way wins that round imo. for all three to give it to him i just dont get

moot point i guess

Hmmm, so they do. Very strange.

Hearn was setting up a win for Johnson OBVIOUSLY!!

[handsofstone]

Joshua/Povetkin and Smith/Groves cards were shocking as well, thankfully took out of the bastard judges hands

[Boxerbeetle]

the cards on boxrec say 29-27, 28-27, 28-27 all for johnson

seems strange to me, first that one judge didnt score a 10-8 for berterbiev even though he clearly got the better of most of round 1 and got credited with a knockdown , and second that all three had johnson winning round 3, ive watched that and he was hurt and in no way wins that round imo. for all three to give it to him i just dont get

moot point i guess

Hmmm, so they do. Very strange.

Hearn was setting up a win for Johnson OBVIOUSLY!!

Interesting theoretical point - would a promoter even bother going to the trouble of attempting to bribe the judges in this sort of matchup? Johnson was never realistically going to make the final bell, his only chance was a knockout. May as well only bother to bribe the ref and not worry about the judges, save a bit of cash.