Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
I’m super excited for this fight. I think it goes the distance. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a close decision that warrants a rematch
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
MASSIVE unification faces UK TV blackout
UK fans are scrambling around in a bid to be able to view the event live on terrestrial or satellite TV.
As of yet, there are no takers to the collision as BT Sport, ITV and Sky resist the temptation to purchase rights.
This hasn’t gone down well with British fight fans.
Comments included:
“Why as Beterbiev vs Gvozdyk not been picked up by any UK TV? #Shambles”
“No UK broadcaster has picked up #BeterbievGvozdyk yet, how has that happened?”
“Mind-blowing that no UK broadcaster has picked up this fight, it’s a super fight, could be fight of the year. #BeterbievGvozdyk”
US TV – ESPN
Two very bad men are set for an old-fashioned Philadelphia throwdown.
Gvozdyk-Beterbiev will headline a special edition of Top Rank on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
The undercard will stream live on ESPN+ — the industry-leading sports streaming service — beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
UK fans are scrambling around in a bid to be able to view the event live on terrestrial or satellite TV.
As of yet, there are no takers to the collision as BT Sport, ITV and Sky resist the temptation to purchase rights.
This hasn’t gone down well with British fight fans.
Comments included:
“Why as Beterbiev vs Gvozdyk not been picked up by any UK TV? #Shambles”
“No UK broadcaster has picked up #BeterbievGvozdyk yet, how has that happened?”
“Mind-blowing that no UK broadcaster has picked up this fight, it’s a super fight, could be fight of the year. #BeterbievGvozdyk”
US TV – ESPN
Two very bad men are set for an old-fashioned Philadelphia throwdown.
Gvozdyk-Beterbiev will headline a special edition of Top Rank on ESPN beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
The undercard will stream live on ESPN+ — the industry-leading sports streaming service — beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
Nice poster here
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jujigatame
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
I have a feeling Beterbiev is gonna get worked here. I know he was supposed to be an elite amateur who beat Usyk but he's spent the last 4 years fighting no-hopers and it feels like he wasted his prime and his skills have deteriorated.
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
Beterbiev vs Gvozdyk: Quotes / Undercard / TV and PPV details
Artur Beterbiev and Oleksandr Gvozdyk are almost primed for battle on ESPN in the US and FITE TV PPV around the world.
The IBF light heavyweight world champion and WBC light heavyweight world champion ended their fight promotion obligations at the office of Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz.
They posed for pictures in front of the fight poster for the legendary 1962 light heavyweight championship fight between Doug Jones and Harold Johnson, which took place at the old Philadelphia Arena.
Beterbiev and Gvozdyk will add to the city’s light heavyweight legacy Friday evening at the Liacouras Center, a throwback battle befitting a storied fight city.
Before the two combatants posed for photos and faced off at Peltz’s office/museum, they participated in a media roundtable. This is what they had to say.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk
On working with Teddy Atlas
“Teddy demands a lot of his fighters. I am fine with that. Training camp is supposed to be hard. We worked together to come up with the necessary game plan to beat Beterbiev.”
“Teddy is very picky, very particular. This is what you need. Sometimes, you cannot right yourself. Sometimes, you think you’re too tired, sometimes you want to work more.
“Teddy knows exactly what you’re supposed to do. And there is no place for argument.
“First of all, he is a good person because when I met him, I realized that. Like I’ve said a lot of times before, this type of person is already under extinction, probably even non-existent anymore.
“From his professional qualities, besides his qualities as a human being, he’s very smart, he has over 40 years in this business. He never loses any small details, which is really important.”
“First of all, my dream is to become undisputed champion. This is the first step, and this is the necessary step. And the second thing is, this is what fans like to see. They don’t want to see champions fight some opponents or journeymen. Tough fights, which fans like to see. For me, it’s a big challenge.
“For now, only one challenge and one opponent exists for me. I’m not even thinking about any other opportunities.
“Everything is possible in the future. Maybe go up {in weight} or go down. I think it’s possible, maybe hard, but possible. But again, right now, I’m not even thinking about it.”
Teddy Atlas (Gvozdyk’s trainer)
“Camp couldn’t be better. We got to where we want to be. You gotta go in there Friday night and execute, but everything is in place. Couldn’t ask for more.”
On moving training camp to Philadelphia
“First of all, we didn’t have to acclimate to the time difference because we’d be in the same time zone. Being that the weather would still be good, there was no problem with training here on the East Coast.
“Sometimes, you have to worry about bad weather with training on the East Coast. We didn’t have to worry about that. And not having to get on a plane and go across the country on the Sunday before the fight was a nice thing.”
On fighting a big puncher like Beterbiev
“It’s just, again, a reminder that there’s no room for mistakes, that there’s gotta be full concentration for 36 minutes. You have to fight one round at a time, one three-minute round at a time. Not two minutes and 59 seconds, no.
“Not when you’re in there with a puncher who can change everything in a moment with one punch, as {Adonis} Stevenson almost did in the 10th round.
“The reason why he’s a champion is because he was able to handle that and was able to survive that. That’s why he’s a champion. You could look at all the other rounds and say he’s a champion because of this. He’s a champion because of that, he gave angles, he used the jab, he punched at the right time.
“But he’s a champion because, when the moment came, he behaved like a champion.”
“If there are moments to take bigger bites in this fight. We’re going to take them at whatever time that is. If it’s early, it’s early. Even if it’s late, it’s late. If it’s middle, it’s middle.
“He’s got great judgment and instincts, and we’ve put that in place. I know we can depend on that judgment and those instincts when it’s time to take a bite, small or big. We never want to get greedy. You never want to get greedy, especially with a puncher.”
“I think this fight’s a little different than maybe some people envision it. It’s not going to be exactly the same as the Stevenson fight because we have a guy where there’s going to have to be moments… put it this way, there’s going to have to be moments to take bigger bites with this guy. And that doesn’t mean getting sloppy or careless or greedy, but it means what it means.”
Artur Beterbiev
On the amateur fight he won against Gvozdyk
“I think it was two rounds. But I don’t know, I heard Gvozdyk say I broke his nose. I don’t know that. He said that. It was only two rounds.”
Has Gvozdyk changed as a fighter since then?
“I think so. I changed. He changed. Everybody changed. His face changed, too. A little more hair.”
On starting to train in Russia before moving camp to Montreal
“I went to Russia just for vacation. But I wanted to be, like, active. I went to altitude. I used to {train} there when I was an amateur boxer. I’ve had a good camp there. It was like preparation for our camp {in Canada} for eight weeks.”
On his past promotional difficulties and extended layoffs
“It was a difficult time, but I don’t want to talk about the past. I think the future is more happy. It’s hard when you have court and you have to train and be active.
“It’s hard, but I did that. Now, I have 100 percent time to focus on my fight and my career.”
Marc Ramsay (Beterbiev’s trainer)
“I’m not going to expose my tactics for Friday night today, but the thing is, when you go into a big fight like this, it’s important that you’re not surprised by anything.
“This is what we prepared for in the gym, technically, tactically, all aspects of boxing, like speed {and} power. We’re going to bring everything to the table on Friday.”
“We asked our management if we could have {unification} fights right away. This is what Artur wants, what I want as a trainer, and everybody wanted to go in this direction.
“I don’t know what happened behind the scenes, but I know it wasn’t very difficult looking back with this fight on the table. We said ‘yes’ right away, first day {it was offered}.”
Artur Beterbiev and Oleksandr Gvozdyk are almost primed for battle on ESPN in the US and FITE TV PPV around the world.
The IBF light heavyweight world champion and WBC light heavyweight world champion ended their fight promotion obligations at the office of Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz.
They posed for pictures in front of the fight poster for the legendary 1962 light heavyweight championship fight between Doug Jones and Harold Johnson, which took place at the old Philadelphia Arena.
Beterbiev and Gvozdyk will add to the city’s light heavyweight legacy Friday evening at the Liacouras Center, a throwback battle befitting a storied fight city.
Before the two combatants posed for photos and faced off at Peltz’s office/museum, they participated in a media roundtable. This is what they had to say.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk
On working with Teddy Atlas
“Teddy demands a lot of his fighters. I am fine with that. Training camp is supposed to be hard. We worked together to come up with the necessary game plan to beat Beterbiev.”
“Teddy is very picky, very particular. This is what you need. Sometimes, you cannot right yourself. Sometimes, you think you’re too tired, sometimes you want to work more.
“Teddy knows exactly what you’re supposed to do. And there is no place for argument.
“First of all, he is a good person because when I met him, I realized that. Like I’ve said a lot of times before, this type of person is already under extinction, probably even non-existent anymore.
“From his professional qualities, besides his qualities as a human being, he’s very smart, he has over 40 years in this business. He never loses any small details, which is really important.”
“First of all, my dream is to become undisputed champion. This is the first step, and this is the necessary step. And the second thing is, this is what fans like to see. They don’t want to see champions fight some opponents or journeymen. Tough fights, which fans like to see. For me, it’s a big challenge.
“For now, only one challenge and one opponent exists for me. I’m not even thinking about any other opportunities.
“Everything is possible in the future. Maybe go up {in weight} or go down. I think it’s possible, maybe hard, but possible. But again, right now, I’m not even thinking about it.”
Teddy Atlas (Gvozdyk’s trainer)
“Camp couldn’t be better. We got to where we want to be. You gotta go in there Friday night and execute, but everything is in place. Couldn’t ask for more.”
On moving training camp to Philadelphia
“First of all, we didn’t have to acclimate to the time difference because we’d be in the same time zone. Being that the weather would still be good, there was no problem with training here on the East Coast.
“Sometimes, you have to worry about bad weather with training on the East Coast. We didn’t have to worry about that. And not having to get on a plane and go across the country on the Sunday before the fight was a nice thing.”
On fighting a big puncher like Beterbiev
“It’s just, again, a reminder that there’s no room for mistakes, that there’s gotta be full concentration for 36 minutes. You have to fight one round at a time, one three-minute round at a time. Not two minutes and 59 seconds, no.
“Not when you’re in there with a puncher who can change everything in a moment with one punch, as {Adonis} Stevenson almost did in the 10th round.
“The reason why he’s a champion is because he was able to handle that and was able to survive that. That’s why he’s a champion. You could look at all the other rounds and say he’s a champion because of this. He’s a champion because of that, he gave angles, he used the jab, he punched at the right time.
“But he’s a champion because, when the moment came, he behaved like a champion.”
“If there are moments to take bigger bites in this fight. We’re going to take them at whatever time that is. If it’s early, it’s early. Even if it’s late, it’s late. If it’s middle, it’s middle.
“He’s got great judgment and instincts, and we’ve put that in place. I know we can depend on that judgment and those instincts when it’s time to take a bite, small or big. We never want to get greedy. You never want to get greedy, especially with a puncher.”
“I think this fight’s a little different than maybe some people envision it. It’s not going to be exactly the same as the Stevenson fight because we have a guy where there’s going to have to be moments… put it this way, there’s going to have to be moments to take bigger bites with this guy. And that doesn’t mean getting sloppy or careless or greedy, but it means what it means.”
Artur Beterbiev
On the amateur fight he won against Gvozdyk
“I think it was two rounds. But I don’t know, I heard Gvozdyk say I broke his nose. I don’t know that. He said that. It was only two rounds.”
Has Gvozdyk changed as a fighter since then?
“I think so. I changed. He changed. Everybody changed. His face changed, too. A little more hair.”
On starting to train in Russia before moving camp to Montreal
“I went to Russia just for vacation. But I wanted to be, like, active. I went to altitude. I used to {train} there when I was an amateur boxer. I’ve had a good camp there. It was like preparation for our camp {in Canada} for eight weeks.”
On his past promotional difficulties and extended layoffs
“It was a difficult time, but I don’t want to talk about the past. I think the future is more happy. It’s hard when you have court and you have to train and be active.
“It’s hard, but I did that. Now, I have 100 percent time to focus on my fight and my career.”
Marc Ramsay (Beterbiev’s trainer)
“I’m not going to expose my tactics for Friday night today, but the thing is, when you go into a big fight like this, it’s important that you’re not surprised by anything.
“This is what we prepared for in the gym, technically, tactically, all aspects of boxing, like speed {and} power. We’re going to bring everything to the table on Friday.”
“We asked our management if we could have {unification} fights right away. This is what Artur wants, what I want as a trainer, and everybody wanted to go in this direction.
“I don’t know what happened behind the scenes, but I know it wasn’t very difficult looking back with this fight on the table. We said ‘yes’ right away, first day {it was offered}.”
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
FULL CARD
ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT / Fite TV PPV outside US and Canada.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs. Artur Beterbiev, 12 rounds, WBC/IBF light heavyweight world titles
Luis Collazo vs. Kudratillo Abdukakhorov, 10 rounds, welterweight
ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT
Michael Seals vs. Elio Trosch, 8 rounds, light heavyweight
Josue Vargas vs. Johnny Rodriguez, 8 rounds, super lightweight
John Bauza vs. Donald Ward, 8/6 rounds, super lightweight
Joseph Adorno vs. Damian Sosa. 8 rounds, lightweight
Julian Rodriguez vs. Leonardo Doronio, 6 rounds, super lightweight
Jeremy Adorno vs. Misael Reyes, 4 rounds, super bantamweight
Sonny Conto vs. Steven Lyons, 4 rounds, heavyweight
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.
ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT / Fite TV PPV outside US and Canada.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs. Artur Beterbiev, 12 rounds, WBC/IBF light heavyweight world titles
Luis Collazo vs. Kudratillo Abdukakhorov, 10 rounds, welterweight
ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT
Michael Seals vs. Elio Trosch, 8 rounds, light heavyweight
Josue Vargas vs. Johnny Rodriguez, 8 rounds, super lightweight
John Bauza vs. Donald Ward, 8/6 rounds, super lightweight
Joseph Adorno vs. Damian Sosa. 8 rounds, lightweight
Julian Rodriguez vs. Leonardo Doronio, 6 rounds, super lightweight
Jeremy Adorno vs. Misael Reyes, 4 rounds, super bantamweight
Sonny Conto vs. Steven Lyons, 4 rounds, heavyweight
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $150, $90, $75 and $50 (not including applicable fees) can be purchased at the Liacouras Center Box Office, www.liacourascenter.com or charge by phone at 800-298-4200.
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
will be weigh in streamed live on YT ?
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
Ukraine’s Gvozdyk hit the scales at a fighting fit 174.3 pounds; Beterbiev—a Russia-born knockout artist of Chechen descent who now lives in Montreal, Canada—checked in at 174.5 pounds.
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
Shattered I’m going to miss this fight live but this is a great contest. A rare fight in my opinion and doesn’t seem to be getting its due attention.
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
I’m really enjoying the lhw division lately. Hopefully someone does a rbr and also hopefully someone posts the fight to YouTube.
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Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
The Eastern Rivalry: Russia vs. Ukraine Classic Encounters
By Alexey Sukachev
No neighbors – relatives to be honest – were as close to each other as Russia and Ukraine, top remnants of the Eastern European global superpower named the Soviet Union. However, their history – mutual for four centuries and joint for almost seven hundred years before that – is much older and richer than anyone can imagine.
With global politics involved, Russia and Ukraine are at the lowest point of their mutual relationship. Fueled by the Crimea conflict and then by military activities just miles away from their Donbass border - both nations, which are ethnically and linguistically closest to each other, are currently in a tense scenario.
And the ongoing tension makes sports rivalries between love-and-hate relatives a lot more heated. Team sports tend to avoid them now by separating tournament paths of the Eastern European nations so they are unable to meet each other at a club or national level until the very advanced stages of the competitions.
In boxing, the measure of all is a championship fight. And the stakes are certainly high when WBC light heavyweight king Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk of Kharkiv, Ukraine, is matched against IBF reigning champion Artur Beterbiev from Khasavyurt, Russia, this Friday night at Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Their will mark the third time Russia and Ukraine have collided in a unification and it takes place in one of the sport’s most decorated weight classes. The previous one produced the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world and 2018 Fighter of The Year.
There’s a distinct difference between pugilism and certain other sports. Both Russian and Ukrainian boxers are almost unanimous in voicing their desire to avoid any political scuffles and they want to concentrate solely on the competitive aspect of their encounters while supporting each other against fighters from other areas.
It all comes down to the cultural background, which motivates fighters from both Ukraine and Russia (as well as from other ex-Soviet republics) to keep themselves modest, avoiding insults and trash talking – specifically between each other, and specifically when politics are involved. No one put this forward better than P4P stalwart Oleksandr Usyk, when explaining why he discarded Andrey Fedosov as a heavyweight opponent.
“He won’t be my opponent. Previously Alexander Povetkin’s name was raised. I said before that I don’t want to fight them because politics will unfortunately be involved, and insults and profanities will be shouted. That doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t need that," said Usyk.
Povetkin, notably, was in full agreement and supported Usyk in return.
With this in mind, let’s forget (and make others forget) the political upside to the coming fight, which is rightfully expected to be something special.
And to fuel the positive feeling, let’s look back at the best of Ukraine vs. Russia in boxing over the last twenty-five years.
Honorable mention:
• Vladimir Virchis (Ukraine, 14-0, 12 KOs) KO 8 Zaur Abdulgamidov (Russia, 17-1, 8 KOs) – 31.01.2004
• Vyacheslav Glazkov (Ukraine, 8-0, 6 KOs) UD 8 Denis Bakhtov (Russia, 33-6, 23 KOs) – 26.03.2011
• Nikolay Valuev (Russia, 28-0, 24 KOs) UD 12 Taras Bidenko (Ukraine, 3-0, 2 KOs) – 21.07.2002
• Sergey Kovalev (Russia, 30-2-1, 26 KOs) TKO 2 Vyacheslav Shabranskiy (Ukraine, 19-1, 16 KOs) – 25.11.2017
• Alexey Trofimov (Ukraine, 20-1, 16 KOs) UD 12 Dzhabrail Dzhabrailov (18-3-2, 10 KOs) – 12.12.2003
• Denis Boytsov (Russia, 24-0, 19 KOs) TKO 6 Taras Bidenko (Ukraine, 26-2, 12 KOs) – 06.06.2009
• Zaurbek Baysangurov (Russia, 17-0, 12 KOs) TKO 8 Roman Dzhuman (Ukraine, 23-4-1) – 23.03.2008
• Vitaliy Tsypko (Ukraine, 20-2, 11 KOs) UD 12 David Gogiya (Russia, 18-2, 4 KOs) – 29.09.2007
Special. Stas Kashtanov (Russia, 29-1, 16 KOs) SD 12 Server Emurlayev (Ukraine, 22-0, 8 KOs)
Date: 10.11.2012
Venue: Druzhba Sport Palace in Donetsk, Ukraine
Titles: WBA Interim super middleweight
The most interesting fact about this fight is that neither Kashtanov, nor Emurlayev are fully qualified for this category. At the time of the bout both contestants represented Ukraine, more to that – the same company: the Donetsk-based Union Boxing Promotions, albeit Emurlayev was originally from Uzbekistan. As for Kashtanov, he later made a move to Russia and settled down in Serpukhov to become Russian citizen.
The fight itself was a crowd-pleasing affair between a battle-tested veteran in Kashtanov, who was coming off a highly controversial split decision loss to Karoly Balzsay for the regular belt a year earlier, and his younger and untested teammate. After losing the opening rounds, Kashtanov found his groove to dominate at the mid-point and later on, snatching an important career-saving victory in front of mostly partisan crowd (Stas was born in Donetsk).
7. Sergey Dzinziruk (Ukraine, 32-0, 22 KOs) UD 12 Alisultan Nadirbegov (Russia, 15-1, 7 KOs)
Date: 21.10.2006
Venue: Brandberge Arena in Halle an der Saale, Germany
Titles: WBO light middleweight title (2nd defense)
Tolyatti-based Russian, who turned pro at age 25, and fought mostly mediocre opposition in his native city, shouldn’t have been in the same ring with a former amateur standout, who was undefeated as a prizefighter for more than a decade after his debut. But he earned his chance the hard way during the most intriguing year of his short but fierce career.
Nadirbegov, then almost unknown to anyone even in Russia, lost to Moldavian Ion Gontsa in March but came back with an extremely exciting, come-from-behind TKO 11 over Kuvanych Toygonbayev in Moscow just two months after that. Watch this fight on YouTube and you will see what a not-so-hidden-but-overlooked-classic means.
Toygonbayev, a quality contender with some solid wins overseas, was highly ranked by the WBO, providing Nadirbegov with a lucky ticket, which he realized when Dzinziruk, one of more avoided champions of the 00’s, was left without an opponent once again. On the fight night, it took Dzinziruk just a couple of rounds to evaluate his foe and then to implore his trademark jab-based domination for a wide decision on all scorecards. That was the first time Russian and Ukrainian fighters collide in championship affairs.
6. Sergey Kovalev (Russia, 22-0-1, 20 KOs) KO 2 Ismayl Sillakh (Ukraine, 21-1, 17 KOs)
Date: 30.11.2013
Venue: Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada
Titles: WBO light heavyweight title (1st defense)
This should have been a fight of a different magnitude, had Sillakh not lost to unheralded Denis Grachev a year and a half before that. Still his reputation and amateur accolades coupled with four easy wins in the previous months of 2013 made up for an intriguing clash against the newly-crowned boogeyman of the light heavyweight class, right?
Wrong. As wrong as was Sillakh’s showboating and boastful presence before the fight, magnified by the fact Ismayl could easily reach for the opponent of the same language, in what clearly irritated the Russian banger, who did not tolerate such behavior in the pre-fight (in what could clearly been seen in his breakthrough performance versus Nathan Cleverly, which earned him the WBO title).
No one was really surprised by the actual outcome. But it was aggressiveness and evil determination of Kovalev to smash his nemesis, which continued to open eyes on the Russia’s most intimidating fighter in years. Sillakh was blitzed, put down cold and verbally insulted at the same time to continue his downward spiral into oblivion, while Kovalev continued his road to glory.
5. Arnold Khegai (Ukraine, 10-0-1, 7 KOs) KO 10 Valery Tretyakov (11-0, 4 KOs)
Date: 27.11.2017
Venue: Luzhniki, Moscow, Russia
Titles: -
Now onto a rough one. This wasn’t a title fight, not it involved any established fighters. Arni Khegai, the Odessa-based stalker of the Korean origin, is just setting up his mark as a super bantamweight contender, maybe a champion (who knows?) at one day. Valery Tretyakov has never fought after that fight.
But no one lit up the crowd on that cold November night as two smaller and lesser known, yet undefeated fighters who engaged in a reminiscent of JCC vs. Meldrick Taylor I. As witnessed by the BS:
“Khegai landed the harder blows but Tretyakov matched them with their number. The Odessa native meanwhile showed an assortment of dirty tricks, which would have made legends of the past like Harry Greb and Fritzie Zivic proud. As the bout progressed, the firepower of Khegai became well felt by his opponent. Tretyakov was badly hurt in the seventh and in the ninth again with a left hook but somehow survived and refused to go down and continued to throw punches.
"In the tenth, a badly faded Tretyakov fought on instinct and was being pummeled all around the ring but still not going down. Finally, when the ten-second bell sounded, Tretyakov made the wrong choice to slug it out one last time, ate a monstrous left, was fully out cold on his feet, then went down hard after two more hooks”.
4. Denis Grachev (Russia, 11-0-1, 7 KOs) TKO 8 Ismayl Sillakh (Ukraine, 17-0, 14 KOs)
Date: 27.04.2012
Venue: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, USA
Titles: NABF Light heavyweight title
The very beauty of the sport is when someone works his way through adversity and over the limit of his abilities to reach for the heights, seemingly unachievable under normal conditions. That was something Denis Grachev, a hard-nosed kickboxer with a very small grain of talent mixed up with tons of determination, was able to do not once but twice in his career (the second time – against 33-0 Zsolt Erdei).
Sillakh, a flashy smooth-walking, smooth-talking and hard-banging prodigy, looked like a complete fighter and a star in making when he entered the Grachev fight as high as a 10-to-1 favorite.
Grachev, a physically strong but limited slugger with also limited boxing skills, hit the deck in round three. The problem (for Sillakh) was that Grachev just didn’t want to go away. He kept moving forward. He kept punching on. He kept looking for his chance. That – more than anything – forced Sillakh out of his game plan and into the muddy waters. In round eight, Sillakh was wobbled badly and, sensing his negligible chance, Grachev didn’t let Ismayl off the hook, scoring one of the greater upsets of that year.
3. Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine, 49-3, 42 KOs) UD 12 Sultan Ibragimov (Russia, 22-0-1, 17 KOs)
Date: 23.02.2008
Venue: Madison Square Gardn, New York, USA
Titles: WBO and IBF Heavyweight titles
Not every fight produces a story. Not every unification, even involving a bona-fide, first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, is a fan-friendly scrap, let alone a part of greatness. Well, frankly, it was a snoozer of sorts. Yet, it’s here, #3 of the list – thanks for its significance for fans in both countries and as a paving block for future unification collisions of a different sort.
Sultan Ibragimov, a 2000 Sydney Olympics silver medalist (losing to all-time great amateur Felix Savon), really got his gear going in mid 00’s – now as a real heavyweight. A string of TKO wins in 2004 and 2005 positioned him as a contender, and then he realized his title chance by outmaneuvering firstly Shannon Briggs to earn the WBO belt in June 2007 and then Evander Holyfield in the not-last-as-always stand of the latter.
Klitschko, meanwhile, overcame struggles of the mid-00’s and evolved into the best heavyweight on the landscape with wins over Chris Byrd, Calvin Brock and a rematch stoppage of Lamon Brewster. But he needed hardware to prove he was the one.
Enters Ibragimov, a presumably fan-friendly Russian slugger. Yet on the fight night, both combatants laid an egg. Klitschko, still not fully ensured in his punch-taking abilities, employed his trademark style (which will become both effective and infamous at the same time), keeping Ibragimov at the end of his jab, rarely opening for a stinging right hand. Ibragimov, unable to work through the jab, preferred not to risk being smashed. The result was a forgettable decision if it was not for the extra belt for Wladimir and a final paycheck for the Russian fighter.
2. Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine, 60-3, 51 KOs) UD 12 Alexander Povetkin (Russia, 26-0, 18 KOs)
Date: 05.10.2013
Venue: Olympiyskiy, Moscow, Russia
Titles: Super WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles
Five and a half years later, now a part of the undisputed heavyweight duo Wladimir went into the lion’s den for the biggest fight in Eastern European history and one of the wealthiest promotions in history, almost six years in making (since Alexander’s win over Chris Byrd).
Supported by mortgage tycoon and then boxing stalwart Andrey Ryabinskiy, his long-time manager Vladimir Hryunov and others, Team Povetkin was able to lure the unified champion into hostile territory. Given the stature of his older brother in Ukrainian politics, an ongoing heat-up in Kiev and mixed perception of Wladimir himself amongst Russian fans and Alexander amongst Ukrainian aficionados – both casual and hardcore – it’s easy to realize how many more extra shades this fight really got.
None of this shades or aspects distracted Wladimir from his painfully unfriendly (yet effective) fight plan. Establishing his jab early on, Klitschko immediately clinched and put weight upon his foe whenever Povetkin got close. But he was also doing all the work, dropping Alexander in the second round and almost finishing him off in the seventh (three knockdowns). Povetkin fought to the end, while Klitschko also fought and wrestled during the closing rounds of a specific encounter to get a one-sided win.
1. Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine, 14-0, 11 KOs) UD 12 Murat Gassiev (Russia, 26-0, 19 KOs)
Date: 05.10.2013
Venue: Olympiyskiy, Moscow, Russia
Titles: Super WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles
None of the fights ever fought on the Russian soil reached this level of magnitude. In fact, that was both one of the biggest fights in European history and arguably the biggest cruiserweight fight since the days of Evander Holyfield (or at least David Haye if you mark his interactions with Jean-Mark Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinelli this way).
Unlike the Klitschko vs. Povetkin showdown, it didn't have any of the behind the scenes drama, allowing both Usyk and Gassiev to concentrate solely on their mission to determine the biggest cruiserweight star in thirty years. On the fight night, both combatants did all they could for the victory, but the sheer technique, ring cleverness, precise footwork and overall finesse allowed Usyk to produce a technical masterpiece that is rarely seen today. On the losing side was Murat Gassiev, a likable and classy character and a fundamentally solid champion.... just not great, which Usyk proved to be.
With all four major belts at stake, two unified champions and Moscow suddenly becoming the Mecca of boxing worldwide, Usyk vs. Gassiev is the most memorable clash between Russia and Ukraine in the pro ranks.
By Alexey Sukachev
No neighbors – relatives to be honest – were as close to each other as Russia and Ukraine, top remnants of the Eastern European global superpower named the Soviet Union. However, their history – mutual for four centuries and joint for almost seven hundred years before that – is much older and richer than anyone can imagine.
With global politics involved, Russia and Ukraine are at the lowest point of their mutual relationship. Fueled by the Crimea conflict and then by military activities just miles away from their Donbass border - both nations, which are ethnically and linguistically closest to each other, are currently in a tense scenario.
And the ongoing tension makes sports rivalries between love-and-hate relatives a lot more heated. Team sports tend to avoid them now by separating tournament paths of the Eastern European nations so they are unable to meet each other at a club or national level until the very advanced stages of the competitions.
In boxing, the measure of all is a championship fight. And the stakes are certainly high when WBC light heavyweight king Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk of Kharkiv, Ukraine, is matched against IBF reigning champion Artur Beterbiev from Khasavyurt, Russia, this Friday night at Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Their will mark the third time Russia and Ukraine have collided in a unification and it takes place in one of the sport’s most decorated weight classes. The previous one produced the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world and 2018 Fighter of The Year.
There’s a distinct difference between pugilism and certain other sports. Both Russian and Ukrainian boxers are almost unanimous in voicing their desire to avoid any political scuffles and they want to concentrate solely on the competitive aspect of their encounters while supporting each other against fighters from other areas.
It all comes down to the cultural background, which motivates fighters from both Ukraine and Russia (as well as from other ex-Soviet republics) to keep themselves modest, avoiding insults and trash talking – specifically between each other, and specifically when politics are involved. No one put this forward better than P4P stalwart Oleksandr Usyk, when explaining why he discarded Andrey Fedosov as a heavyweight opponent.
“He won’t be my opponent. Previously Alexander Povetkin’s name was raised. I said before that I don’t want to fight them because politics will unfortunately be involved, and insults and profanities will be shouted. That doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t need that," said Usyk.
Povetkin, notably, was in full agreement and supported Usyk in return.
With this in mind, let’s forget (and make others forget) the political upside to the coming fight, which is rightfully expected to be something special.
And to fuel the positive feeling, let’s look back at the best of Ukraine vs. Russia in boxing over the last twenty-five years.
Honorable mention:
• Vladimir Virchis (Ukraine, 14-0, 12 KOs) KO 8 Zaur Abdulgamidov (Russia, 17-1, 8 KOs) – 31.01.2004
• Vyacheslav Glazkov (Ukraine, 8-0, 6 KOs) UD 8 Denis Bakhtov (Russia, 33-6, 23 KOs) – 26.03.2011
• Nikolay Valuev (Russia, 28-0, 24 KOs) UD 12 Taras Bidenko (Ukraine, 3-0, 2 KOs) – 21.07.2002
• Sergey Kovalev (Russia, 30-2-1, 26 KOs) TKO 2 Vyacheslav Shabranskiy (Ukraine, 19-1, 16 KOs) – 25.11.2017
• Alexey Trofimov (Ukraine, 20-1, 16 KOs) UD 12 Dzhabrail Dzhabrailov (18-3-2, 10 KOs) – 12.12.2003
• Denis Boytsov (Russia, 24-0, 19 KOs) TKO 6 Taras Bidenko (Ukraine, 26-2, 12 KOs) – 06.06.2009
• Zaurbek Baysangurov (Russia, 17-0, 12 KOs) TKO 8 Roman Dzhuman (Ukraine, 23-4-1) – 23.03.2008
• Vitaliy Tsypko (Ukraine, 20-2, 11 KOs) UD 12 David Gogiya (Russia, 18-2, 4 KOs) – 29.09.2007
Special. Stas Kashtanov (Russia, 29-1, 16 KOs) SD 12 Server Emurlayev (Ukraine, 22-0, 8 KOs)
Date: 10.11.2012
Venue: Druzhba Sport Palace in Donetsk, Ukraine
Titles: WBA Interim super middleweight
The most interesting fact about this fight is that neither Kashtanov, nor Emurlayev are fully qualified for this category. At the time of the bout both contestants represented Ukraine, more to that – the same company: the Donetsk-based Union Boxing Promotions, albeit Emurlayev was originally from Uzbekistan. As for Kashtanov, he later made a move to Russia and settled down in Serpukhov to become Russian citizen.
The fight itself was a crowd-pleasing affair between a battle-tested veteran in Kashtanov, who was coming off a highly controversial split decision loss to Karoly Balzsay for the regular belt a year earlier, and his younger and untested teammate. After losing the opening rounds, Kashtanov found his groove to dominate at the mid-point and later on, snatching an important career-saving victory in front of mostly partisan crowd (Stas was born in Donetsk).
7. Sergey Dzinziruk (Ukraine, 32-0, 22 KOs) UD 12 Alisultan Nadirbegov (Russia, 15-1, 7 KOs)
Date: 21.10.2006
Venue: Brandberge Arena in Halle an der Saale, Germany
Titles: WBO light middleweight title (2nd defense)
Tolyatti-based Russian, who turned pro at age 25, and fought mostly mediocre opposition in his native city, shouldn’t have been in the same ring with a former amateur standout, who was undefeated as a prizefighter for more than a decade after his debut. But he earned his chance the hard way during the most intriguing year of his short but fierce career.
Nadirbegov, then almost unknown to anyone even in Russia, lost to Moldavian Ion Gontsa in March but came back with an extremely exciting, come-from-behind TKO 11 over Kuvanych Toygonbayev in Moscow just two months after that. Watch this fight on YouTube and you will see what a not-so-hidden-but-overlooked-classic means.
Toygonbayev, a quality contender with some solid wins overseas, was highly ranked by the WBO, providing Nadirbegov with a lucky ticket, which he realized when Dzinziruk, one of more avoided champions of the 00’s, was left without an opponent once again. On the fight night, it took Dzinziruk just a couple of rounds to evaluate his foe and then to implore his trademark jab-based domination for a wide decision on all scorecards. That was the first time Russian and Ukrainian fighters collide in championship affairs.
6. Sergey Kovalev (Russia, 22-0-1, 20 KOs) KO 2 Ismayl Sillakh (Ukraine, 21-1, 17 KOs)
Date: 30.11.2013
Venue: Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada
Titles: WBO light heavyweight title (1st defense)
This should have been a fight of a different magnitude, had Sillakh not lost to unheralded Denis Grachev a year and a half before that. Still his reputation and amateur accolades coupled with four easy wins in the previous months of 2013 made up for an intriguing clash against the newly-crowned boogeyman of the light heavyweight class, right?
Wrong. As wrong as was Sillakh’s showboating and boastful presence before the fight, magnified by the fact Ismayl could easily reach for the opponent of the same language, in what clearly irritated the Russian banger, who did not tolerate such behavior in the pre-fight (in what could clearly been seen in his breakthrough performance versus Nathan Cleverly, which earned him the WBO title).
No one was really surprised by the actual outcome. But it was aggressiveness and evil determination of Kovalev to smash his nemesis, which continued to open eyes on the Russia’s most intimidating fighter in years. Sillakh was blitzed, put down cold and verbally insulted at the same time to continue his downward spiral into oblivion, while Kovalev continued his road to glory.
5. Arnold Khegai (Ukraine, 10-0-1, 7 KOs) KO 10 Valery Tretyakov (11-0, 4 KOs)
Date: 27.11.2017
Venue: Luzhniki, Moscow, Russia
Titles: -
Now onto a rough one. This wasn’t a title fight, not it involved any established fighters. Arni Khegai, the Odessa-based stalker of the Korean origin, is just setting up his mark as a super bantamweight contender, maybe a champion (who knows?) at one day. Valery Tretyakov has never fought after that fight.
But no one lit up the crowd on that cold November night as two smaller and lesser known, yet undefeated fighters who engaged in a reminiscent of JCC vs. Meldrick Taylor I. As witnessed by the BS:
“Khegai landed the harder blows but Tretyakov matched them with their number. The Odessa native meanwhile showed an assortment of dirty tricks, which would have made legends of the past like Harry Greb and Fritzie Zivic proud. As the bout progressed, the firepower of Khegai became well felt by his opponent. Tretyakov was badly hurt in the seventh and in the ninth again with a left hook but somehow survived and refused to go down and continued to throw punches.
"In the tenth, a badly faded Tretyakov fought on instinct and was being pummeled all around the ring but still not going down. Finally, when the ten-second bell sounded, Tretyakov made the wrong choice to slug it out one last time, ate a monstrous left, was fully out cold on his feet, then went down hard after two more hooks”.
4. Denis Grachev (Russia, 11-0-1, 7 KOs) TKO 8 Ismayl Sillakh (Ukraine, 17-0, 14 KOs)
Date: 27.04.2012
Venue: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, USA
Titles: NABF Light heavyweight title
The very beauty of the sport is when someone works his way through adversity and over the limit of his abilities to reach for the heights, seemingly unachievable under normal conditions. That was something Denis Grachev, a hard-nosed kickboxer with a very small grain of talent mixed up with tons of determination, was able to do not once but twice in his career (the second time – against 33-0 Zsolt Erdei).
Sillakh, a flashy smooth-walking, smooth-talking and hard-banging prodigy, looked like a complete fighter and a star in making when he entered the Grachev fight as high as a 10-to-1 favorite.
Grachev, a physically strong but limited slugger with also limited boxing skills, hit the deck in round three. The problem (for Sillakh) was that Grachev just didn’t want to go away. He kept moving forward. He kept punching on. He kept looking for his chance. That – more than anything – forced Sillakh out of his game plan and into the muddy waters. In round eight, Sillakh was wobbled badly and, sensing his negligible chance, Grachev didn’t let Ismayl off the hook, scoring one of the greater upsets of that year.
3. Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine, 49-3, 42 KOs) UD 12 Sultan Ibragimov (Russia, 22-0-1, 17 KOs)
Date: 23.02.2008
Venue: Madison Square Gardn, New York, USA
Titles: WBO and IBF Heavyweight titles
Not every fight produces a story. Not every unification, even involving a bona-fide, first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, is a fan-friendly scrap, let alone a part of greatness. Well, frankly, it was a snoozer of sorts. Yet, it’s here, #3 of the list – thanks for its significance for fans in both countries and as a paving block for future unification collisions of a different sort.
Sultan Ibragimov, a 2000 Sydney Olympics silver medalist (losing to all-time great amateur Felix Savon), really got his gear going in mid 00’s – now as a real heavyweight. A string of TKO wins in 2004 and 2005 positioned him as a contender, and then he realized his title chance by outmaneuvering firstly Shannon Briggs to earn the WBO belt in June 2007 and then Evander Holyfield in the not-last-as-always stand of the latter.
Klitschko, meanwhile, overcame struggles of the mid-00’s and evolved into the best heavyweight on the landscape with wins over Chris Byrd, Calvin Brock and a rematch stoppage of Lamon Brewster. But he needed hardware to prove he was the one.
Enters Ibragimov, a presumably fan-friendly Russian slugger. Yet on the fight night, both combatants laid an egg. Klitschko, still not fully ensured in his punch-taking abilities, employed his trademark style (which will become both effective and infamous at the same time), keeping Ibragimov at the end of his jab, rarely opening for a stinging right hand. Ibragimov, unable to work through the jab, preferred not to risk being smashed. The result was a forgettable decision if it was not for the extra belt for Wladimir and a final paycheck for the Russian fighter.
2. Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine, 60-3, 51 KOs) UD 12 Alexander Povetkin (Russia, 26-0, 18 KOs)
Date: 05.10.2013
Venue: Olympiyskiy, Moscow, Russia
Titles: Super WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles
Five and a half years later, now a part of the undisputed heavyweight duo Wladimir went into the lion’s den for the biggest fight in Eastern European history and one of the wealthiest promotions in history, almost six years in making (since Alexander’s win over Chris Byrd).
Supported by mortgage tycoon and then boxing stalwart Andrey Ryabinskiy, his long-time manager Vladimir Hryunov and others, Team Povetkin was able to lure the unified champion into hostile territory. Given the stature of his older brother in Ukrainian politics, an ongoing heat-up in Kiev and mixed perception of Wladimir himself amongst Russian fans and Alexander amongst Ukrainian aficionados – both casual and hardcore – it’s easy to realize how many more extra shades this fight really got.
None of this shades or aspects distracted Wladimir from his painfully unfriendly (yet effective) fight plan. Establishing his jab early on, Klitschko immediately clinched and put weight upon his foe whenever Povetkin got close. But he was also doing all the work, dropping Alexander in the second round and almost finishing him off in the seventh (three knockdowns). Povetkin fought to the end, while Klitschko also fought and wrestled during the closing rounds of a specific encounter to get a one-sided win.
1. Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine, 14-0, 11 KOs) UD 12 Murat Gassiev (Russia, 26-0, 19 KOs)
Date: 05.10.2013
Venue: Olympiyskiy, Moscow, Russia
Titles: Super WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles
None of the fights ever fought on the Russian soil reached this level of magnitude. In fact, that was both one of the biggest fights in European history and arguably the biggest cruiserweight fight since the days of Evander Holyfield (or at least David Haye if you mark his interactions with Jean-Mark Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinelli this way).
Unlike the Klitschko vs. Povetkin showdown, it didn't have any of the behind the scenes drama, allowing both Usyk and Gassiev to concentrate solely on their mission to determine the biggest cruiserweight star in thirty years. On the fight night, both combatants did all they could for the victory, but the sheer technique, ring cleverness, precise footwork and overall finesse allowed Usyk to produce a technical masterpiece that is rarely seen today. On the losing side was Murat Gassiev, a likable and classy character and a fundamentally solid champion.... just not great, which Usyk proved to be.
With all four major belts at stake, two unified champions and Moscow suddenly becoming the Mecca of boxing worldwide, Usyk vs. Gassiev is the most memorable clash between Russia and Ukraine in the pro ranks.
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Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101095
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
While he appreciates praise for his power, Beterbiev isn’t fixated on continuing to win every bout by knockout.
“It’s not important,” Beterbiev told a group of reporters Wednesday at the Renaissance Philadelphia Airport Hotel. “I’m focused with [the] fight. Knockout or not knockout, I’m not focused for that.”
Ramsay emphasized that Beterbiev’s knockout streak isn’t important to him, either.
“It’s never the objective for us,” Ramsay told Boxing Scene. “The objective is to perform well, and to win the bout. In a boxing match, we cannot just expect that. If you have this in your head, it means you only have one option. For a fight of this [magnitude], it’s not smart for a trainer. You have to be ready for everything the night of the fight.”
Beterbiev will have to figure out a way Friday night to land a fight-changing punch against a sound technician who knows he can’t afford to make a single mistake against one of the most pulverizing punchers in boxing.
“If [Beterbiev] goes for the knockout, that means you only have one option in your head,” Ramsay said. “And you can’t go into a boxing match like this. You have to be prepared for every scenario.”
Ramsay and Beterbiev are more than prepared for his knockout streak to conclude, whether it’s Friday night or in another fight.
“I have had that thing with other fighters before,” Ramsay said. “I had other good punchers in my gym. With Artur, it’s really not a focus at all. At one point, we know we’re gonna do a fight where it’s gonna be a decision, and it’s gonna be the end of the streak. And that’s it. It’s not very important at all. Our objective is always to perform well and win the bout. End of story.”
“It’s not important,” Beterbiev told a group of reporters Wednesday at the Renaissance Philadelphia Airport Hotel. “I’m focused with [the] fight. Knockout or not knockout, I’m not focused for that.”
Ramsay emphasized that Beterbiev’s knockout streak isn’t important to him, either.
“It’s never the objective for us,” Ramsay told Boxing Scene. “The objective is to perform well, and to win the bout. In a boxing match, we cannot just expect that. If you have this in your head, it means you only have one option. For a fight of this [magnitude], it’s not smart for a trainer. You have to be ready for everything the night of the fight.”
Beterbiev will have to figure out a way Friday night to land a fight-changing punch against a sound technician who knows he can’t afford to make a single mistake against one of the most pulverizing punchers in boxing.
“If [Beterbiev] goes for the knockout, that means you only have one option in your head,” Ramsay said. “And you can’t go into a boxing match like this. You have to be prepared for every scenario.”
Ramsay and Beterbiev are more than prepared for his knockout streak to conclude, whether it’s Friday night or in another fight.
“I have had that thing with other fighters before,” Ramsay said. “I had other good punchers in my gym. With Artur, it’s really not a focus at all. At one point, we know we’re gonna do a fight where it’s gonna be a decision, and it’s gonna be the end of the streak. And that’s it. It’s not very important at all. Our objective is always to perform well and win the bout. End of story.”
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boxing_rocks
- Welterweight
- Posts: 7851
- Joined: 20 May 2016, 13:11
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
A stoppage is the only way for Beterbiev to win this fight. I don't see him outpointing Gvozdyk.
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Ruthless-RKO
- Welterweight
- Posts: 101095
- Joined: 24 Apr 2016, 11:59
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
Fight Officials
Referee: Gary Rosato.
Judges: John McKaie | Ron McNair | John Poturaj
------------------------------------------------
Both fighters weighed in this morning. Gvozdyk has gained 9.9 pounds since yesterday’s weigh-in. Beterbiev has gained exactly 9 pounds, coming in at 183.5.
Referee: Gary Rosato.
Judges: John McKaie | Ron McNair | John Poturaj
------------------------------------------------
Both fighters weighed in this morning. Gvozdyk has gained 9.9 pounds since yesterday’s weigh-in. Beterbiev has gained exactly 9 pounds, coming in at 183.5.
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SmoothStyle1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 68
- Joined: 22 Feb 2010, 16:37
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
Really looking forward to this tonight.
50-50 fight on paper which I suspect will not play out as close at it seems. Either Beterbiev's power will be the deciding factor and he'll win early, or Gvozdyk's superior boxing ability will see him win a wide UD or late stoppage.
Either way, boxing needs more of these unification fights to bring clarity to weight divisions that have multiple belt holders.
50-50 fight on paper which I suspect will not play out as close at it seems. Either Beterbiev's power will be the deciding factor and he'll win early, or Gvozdyk's superior boxing ability will see him win a wide UD or late stoppage.
Either way, boxing needs more of these unification fights to bring clarity to weight divisions that have multiple belt holders.
Re: Artur Beterbiev vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk - October 18, 2019
BOX REC ES SERIO Y YO TB. ESTOY CON RAMSEY Y BETERBIEV GANARÁ POR DECISIÓN