Artur Beterbiev vs. Joe Smith | ESPN - June 18, 2022

[DrDuke]

artur aint gonna do any outboxing, the smoking one is gonna drag him into a battle, and the younger lion is going to put some hurt on him in slobber knocker. vlasov's not even relevant he's so different in style and dimension.

if artur thought callum johnson hit hard, he's in for a shock vs joe da beast

Yes, it will more likely be a toe-to-toe affair, which is Smith dimension, but when two fighers go to trade, the more sound operator with a harder punch is more likely to prevail and in this case it's Beterbiev. Yes, he was dropped by Johnson, but that was probably a better case for an excuse of underestimating than the Smith-Vlasov bout. Sure, Smith can trouble Artur, but, on the other hand, he is more opened and has less tools. If to pick a guy, against whom you are better not to trade, Beterbiev goes first.

[Enlightened-One]

Artur Beterbiev is 37 years of age and has been fairly inactive recently.

He started very slowly during his most recent outing against Marcus Browne.

He was having a poor night and losing rounds until the terrible cut woke him up and compelled him to have a real sense of urgency.

To be fair to the Russian, it showed true grit to overcome adversity to score the stoppage, but he’ll need a completely different approach against Joe Smith Jr.

If the American can start fast, be very aggressive from the get-go and also adopt a dirty approach to reopen Beterbiev’s cut, then we could end up witnessing an upset.

Artur Beterbiev’s performances against Deines and Browne suggests he’s on the decline.

If the Russian is somehow capable of rewinding the clock and produce a performance that is remotely close to his prime, then he should scores a late stoppage over Joe Smith Jr.

But Beterbiev’s current form suggests that this is going to be a really tough fight for him.

It’s one of those fights where I only slightly favour Beterbiev, but if the betting odds consider this bout to be a one-sided mismatch, then my money is going on Smith Jr.

[apollo creed]

I hope this fight it gets made. Beterbiev is old now and he's reluctant to let his hands go. Smith could win it.

[apollo creed]

3 years ago Smith had more chances in my eyes. Beterbiev was fighting nonames back then. Yet soon he crushed Gvozdyk and since that moment I haven't been giving much chances to Smith. Beter has more of class. Smith made some upsets, but he should have been given a loss against Vlasov recently, while Beter isn't worse as a boxer than Vlasov, plus Beter punches much harder. I see Beter confidently outboxing Smith, maybe stopping him at some point.

Vlasov definatly won that fight vs smith, but he has a wild style... Beter isnt worse than Vlasov but he is simpler. This should be simpler, these two will both be able to hit each other, beter should points him if it goes the distance but if someones getting stopped then i cant pick it really. Zero clue who hits harder, or whos chins better, that makes it a good close fight.

Indeed Vlasov won that fight. His boxing style is very tricky.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sources: Artur Beterbiev, Joe Smith Jr. nearing deal for light heavyweight unification bout this summer

Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr. are closing in on a deal for a light heavyweight title unification this summer in New York, sources told ESPN.

At the moment, Smith is looking for a purse in the neighborhood of $1.8 million for the proposed ESPN main event; he was offered approximately $1.5 million by his promoter, Star Boxing, sources said.

The winner of the three-belt unification would be only one belt short of undisputed status at 175 pounds. Beterbiev, ESPN's No. 1 light heavyweight, is the division's lone unified champion; Smith and Dmitry Bivol hold the other belts.

"[Beterbiev] is what I want," Smith, ESPN's No. 4 light heavyweight, said weeks ago after he scored a ninth-round KO of late replacement Steven Gerrard. "I'm going to get better and better. I believe the next time you see me, I'll be ready for anybody."

Smith (28-3, 22 KOs) has indeed improved tremendously in recent years. Following decision defeats to Bivol and Sullivan Barrera in the span of three fights, Smith reeled off four wins. Most notably, he stopped former champion Eleider Alvarez in 2020 and won a vacant title in April with a majority decision win over Maxim Vlasov.

The 32-year-old from Long Island, New York, was slated to fight Umar Salamov in October, but Smith withdrew after he was hospitalized with COVID symptoms. A planned January bout against Callum Johnson was scrapped after Johnson tested positive for the virus.

Against Beterbiev, Smith would be installed as a clear underdog, but the matchup is still highly anticipated. Besides the stakes, both boxers are tremendous punchers with fan-friendly styles.

Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) is boxing's only active champion with a 100% KO ratio. The 37-year-old Russian scored a ninth-round KO of Marcus Browne in December, his fifth title defense.

Now, Beterbiev is gearing up for a likely showdown with Smith in the summer.

[margaret thatcher]

f@ck ya, smokin joe gonna shock dem doubters yet again

[filibert]

Beterbiev by KO 10th

Bivol is next, I hope he doesn't run, Beterbiev wants the 4 belts and he will get them

[Ruthless-RKO]

Arum: Beterbiev Is Not Bivol; He’s A Legal Resident Of Canada; Has Nothing To Do With Russia

Bob Arum hopes those that oppose Canelo Alvarez’s fight against Dmitry Bivol because Bivol resides in Russia can differentiate between Bivol and the Russian-born light heavyweight champion his company co-promotes.

Arum and his fellow co-promoters for Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr. are in the process of finalizing a deal for their light heavyweight title unification fight to take place June 18 at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York. The 90-year-old Arum made it clear during an interview with BS.com that he feels any public opposition to Beterbiev participating in their 12-round, 175-pound championship match would be completely misguided.

“That’s absurd because Beterbiev is a legal resident of Canada,” Arum said. “He has lived there for many years. He has a Canadian passport. And he’s got nothing to do with Russia. It’s different from Bivol, who lives in Russia. Beterbiev is Canadian.”

Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) owns the IBF and WBC light heavyweight titles. Smith (28-3, 22 KOs) is the WBO champion.

The IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO issued a joint statement at the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that indicated none of those four governing organizations would sanction fights on Russian soil at least until the war in Ukraine ends. The WBA went as far as to temporarily remove all Russian fighters from its rankings.

Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs), who was born in Kyrgyzstan, moved to Russia as a child. He owns the WBA light heavyweight title, but the WBA hasn’t placed any restrictions on its champions who have ties to Russia.

Matchroom Boxing, the promoter of the Alvarez-Bivol event, and DAZN, which will distribute it on pay-per-view, have faced some criticism for Bivol’s participation in this fight. Bivol benignly explained his stance on the war in Ukraine and expressed sympathy for those affected on both sides of the conflict at a press conference for the Alvarez fight March 2 in San Diego.

Others have argued that punishing Russian fighters for a war they might not support seems unfair.

“That’s not my business,” Arum said. “My point is about Beterbiev, not Bivol.”

Beterbiev, 37, moved to Montreal, where he has long resided and trained, after competing at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Smith, 32, hails from Mastic, New York, on Long Island.

“Beterbiev comes from Chechnya,” Arum said in reference to what is officially known as The Chechen Republic. “The point is he has been a resident in good standing, with the equivalent of a green card, in Canada and has a Canadian passport. Not a Russian passport, a Canadian passport. And obviously he didn’t do that because of this [war]. That’s the passport he has had and used for at least the last five years. There comes a time when he becomes, in effect, part of another country and not the country of his birth.”

Beterbiev fought almost exclusively in Canada and later in the United States from the time he made his pro debut in June 2013.

He fought on Russian soil once as a professional, when he defended his IBF and WBC belts against another Russian-born boxer, Adam Deines, who is resident of Germany. Beterbiev stopped Deines (20-2-1, 11 KOs) in the 10th round of their March 2021 fight at Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I read that Beterbiev was born in Dagestan. But he is an erhnic Chechen. And he got a lot of support from Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya. Funding, training base, etc.

[Enlightened-One]

I’ll be very surprised if Bivol and Beterbiev will be allowed to compete in the USA during the summer months.

I expect their bouts against Canelo and Joe Smith Jr. to be called-off closer to their respective fight-dates.

Both fighters are perceived as being Russian by the mainstream masses. And these guys haven’t renounced their Russian nationality either.

[lookingaround87]

The standards being applied to Russia would never be applied to the USA. The USA can invade, bomb and CIA-coup any country it likes, whenever it likes and yet somehow it's still seen by so many people as the good guy. Absolutely astonishing. Why shouldn't Bivol and Beterbiev compete on American soil? It is utterly absurd and disgustingly hypocritical.

[Enlightened-One]

Absolutely astonishing. Why shouldn't Bivol and Beterbiev compete on American soil? It is utterly absurd and disgustingly hypocritical.

More and more sports are banning Russian athletes from competing in the wake of their country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The West are trying to sanction “anything” or “anyone” that’s Russian.

Bivol and Beterbiev both consider themselves as being Russian’s.

The mainstream masses in the US will inevitably be clamouring for these guys fights to be cancelled.

Boxing in the USA will eventually be compelled to impose temporary bans on Russian fighters. This has already happened in the UK.

I don’t personally approve of all these sanctions, but I can understand the reason why they’re being imposed.

[gregregegg]

Hard to say weather they should allow Russians to box in the USA, but if they do they should really lean into it...

I want this billed as "A COLD WAR CLASSIC"

Smith on one side of the poster in a tank with trump in the background (not the presedent but more poster worthy) and then beterbiev duel wielding AK47s riding a bear with putin in the background....

Mabey a tagline of "its going to be a war". At the bottom of the poster

[Ruthless-RKO]

This will be June at The Hulu.
TR have booked the venue.

[margaret thatcher]

f@ck ya!!!

[margaret thatcher]

Hard to say weather they should allow Russians to box in the USA, but if they do they should really lean into it...

I want this billed as "A COLD WAR CLASSIC"

Smith on one side of the poster in a tank with trump in the background (not the presedent but more poster worthy) and then beterbiev duel wielding AK47s riding a bear with putin in the background....

Mabey a tagline of "its going to be a war". At the bottom of the poster

love it

[Ruthless-RKO]

[margaret thatcher]

f@ck ya, joe vs bert, winner fights canelo-bivol winner

[Counter-puncher]

f@ck ya, joe vs bert, winner fights canelo-bivol winner

Typical boxing, you only get a unification because two fighters will have a chance to win the Canelo jackpot cos they know he’ll want to go for the unification of all four belts

Actually Smith isn’t averse to a tough fight but no way Bert takes this if that Canelo money wasn’t a possible result

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBC Prez Explains Why Artur Beterbiev is Not Barred From Defending Belt

"We will not sanction any fights in Russia and no Russian citizens will fight for our organization titles," Sulaiman told Reuters.

"He has been in Canada for 15 years, he lives in Canada, his children were born in Canada, he has a Canadian passport and Canadian residency and a boxing license from Canada. So the WBC board is evaluating that specific case as we speak. We believe in what the world is doing but we also have to look at specific cases and make justice prevail."

"We have several (Russian) silver champions in the WBC and they cannot defend their title. They are going to be put in recess," Sulaiman added.

[Enlightened-One]

WBC Prez Explains Why Artur Beterbiev is Not Barred From Defending Belt

"We will not sanction any fights in Russia and no Russian citizens will fight for our organization titles," Sulaiman told Reuters.

"He has been in Canada for 15 years, he lives in Canada, his children were born in Canada, he has a Canadian passport and Canadian residency and a boxing license from Canada. So the WBC board is evaluating that specific case as we speak. We believe in what the world is doing but we also have to look at specific cases and make justice prevail."

"We have several (Russian) silver champions in the WBC and they cannot defend their title. They are going to be put in recess," Sulaiman added.

If what the WBC says is true, then why is Beterbiev’s ability to speak English or French so limited, especially if he’s been “living in Canada for fifteen years”?

He speaks like someone that only recently learned English.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBC Prez Explains Why Artur Beterbiev is Not Barred From Defending Belt

"We will not sanction any fights in Russia and no Russian citizens will fight for our organization titles," Sulaiman told Reuters.

"He has been in Canada for 15 years, he lives in Canada, his children were born in Canada, he has a Canadian passport and Canadian residency and a boxing license from Canada. So the WBC board is evaluating that specific case as we speak. We believe in what the world is doing but we also have to look at specific cases and make justice prevail."

"We have several (Russian) silver champions in the WBC and they cannot defend their title. They are going to be put in recess," Sulaiman added.

If what the WBC says is true, then why is Beterbiev’s ability to speak English or French so limited, especially if he’s been “living in Canada for fifteen years”?

He speaks like someone that only recently learned English.

Maybe some people don't wanna learn a new language.

I know a few people in the UK who have been here over 30 years (not born in the UK) and just about put a sentence together.

[Enlightened-One]

WBC Prez Explains Why Artur Beterbiev is Not Barred From Defending Belt

"We will not sanction any fights in Russia and no Russian citizens will fight for our organization titles," Sulaiman told Reuters.

"He has been in Canada for 15 years, he lives in Canada, his children were born in Canada, he has a Canadian passport and Canadian residency and a boxing license from Canada. So the WBC board is evaluating that specific case as we speak. We believe in what the world is doing but we also have to look at specific cases and make justice prevail."

"We have several (Russian) silver champions in the WBC and they cannot defend their title. They are going to be put in recess," Sulaiman added.

If what the WBC says is true, then why is Beterbiev’s ability to speak English or French so limited, especially if he’s been “living in Canada for fifteen years”?

He speaks like someone that only recently learned English.

Maybe some people don't wanna learn a new language.

I know a few people in the UK who have been here over 30 years (not born in the UK) and just about put a sentence together.

That’s just a weird way to live your life.

If there was a massive Russian community in Canada, then I’m guessing it wouldn’t be so bad.

But if there isn’t, which I assume to be the case, then failing to learn the local lingo to a conversational degree for fifteen years, would only end up isolating yourself from the local community.

I like to think that native English speakers really appreciate foreigners attempting to speak the same language. People appreciate others for trying.

But that said, if someone that lived in the same geographical location as myself for more than fifteen years, had a very limited grasp of the English language, then I’d assume there must be “something” seriously wrong with them – either deeply anti-social or perhaps suffered from learning difficulties.

To be fair, I suspect Beterbiev hasn't been a full-time resident in Canada for 15 years. His training camps may have been based there, but I'm guessing he normally resides in Russia between bouts.

I could be wrong though, but that's the only reasonable excuse I can think of for Beterbiev's poor English.

[gregregegg]

Lives in Quebec... Ever heard his french?

[Enlightened-One]

Lives in Quebec... Ever heard his french?

I already checked. He admitted he didn't speak French, even though one of his friends/gym stablemates is Georges St-Pierre.