Artur Bertebiev live on BTsport

[roy]

late this Saturday night.

[Autobarn]

Are they building him up to fight Stevenson?

[Webbo911]

Good stuff, cheers.

[Grand_Cru54]

Are they building him up to fight Stevenson?

Nope. The main objective for Beterbiev is Kovalev.

Anyway, I am not even sure that Steveson would accept a fight against Beterebiev. He's gonna have enough work with Thomas, which he might loose if he gets connected on the chin by Thomas.

Stevenson and his crystal chin would not last long against Beterbiev.

[ttornado]

Nope. The main objective for Beterbiev is Kovalev.

Seeing as Beterbiev is with Haymon I wouldn't be so sure about that...

[PredatorHayds]

Good to see BT sport getting in on the act.

I enjoy any boxing on tv apart from Sky who I feel just rip me off.

[ElJefe]

Is this the first live boxing on BT?

[Autobarn]

Nope. The main objective for Beterbiev is Kovalev.

Seeing as Beterbiev is with Haymon I wouldn't be so sure about that...

thats what I was thinking.

It's all inbred when it comes to Haymon and his fighters.

When Stevenson starts to fade a bit, match him vs the heir apparent, the guy with the big reputation, who beat Kovalev in the amateurs...

[Autobarn]

Are they building him up to fight Stevenson?

Nope. The main objective for Beterbiev is Kovalev.

Anyway, I am not even sure that Steveson would accept a fight against Beterebiev. He's gonna have enough work with Thomas, which he might loose if he gets connected on the chin by Thomas.

Stevenson and his crystal chin would not last long against Beterbiev.

Maybe his manager feels differently though it does seem a personal goal for Artur to challenge Kobalev.

I think Adonis is an outstanding fighter who, in the last three fights, took good money for fighting subpar opposition. And probably thinks this is clever. But of course his reputation took a terrible beating especially as Kovalev was taking on Hopkins and Pascal. Stevenson was on fire vs Dawson and Cloud, the wins over Bellew and Fonfara - which I rated at the time - keep looking better. But I think the bad matchmaking and cynical business decisions should not make people presume he's not very good or that he's a coward.

I do think he's a bit of an idiot. The videos he puts on Facebook are cringeworthy. Especially when he and his gang converged on Kovalev trying to intimidate him and his manager, recording his reactions on their iPhones. The man really does come across badly. But I think he's a superb sharp shooter who can overcome his vulnerabilities in the best Kronk mould.

This Thomas Williams fight at least is a step in the right direction and he won the elim by KO...

[handsofstone]

The fight is on BT ESPN as the PBC show is being shown on ESPN Stateside

Beterbiev is clearly a hard hitter but ive not been that impresssed with the last couple of performances,i dont know if he's falling in love with his power a little because he looked great at first destroying Campillo and Cloud etc but he was a bit plodding last couple of fights and seemed to be loading up and just wasnt shining before he managed to find the KO,i expect him to get the win again here though,i havent seen Maderna but he lost both times he's stepped up against Rodriguez and Oosthuizen albeit on points,Artur will do well to stop him here

[crusader]

The fight is on BT ESPN as the PBC show is being shown on ESPN Stateside

Beterbiev is clearly a hard hitter but ive not been that impresssed with the last couple of performances,i dont know if he's falling in love with his power a little because he looked great at first destroying Campillo and Cloud etc but he was a bit plodding last couple of fights and seemed to be loading up and just wasnt shining before he managed to find the KO,i expect him to get the win again here though,i havent seen Maderna but he lost both times he's stepped up against Rodriguez and Oosthuizen albeit on points,Artur will do well to stop him here

I agree....obviously the power is there but he's looked limited at times.

[lefty]

Are they building him up to fight Stevenson?

Nope. The main objective for Beterbiev is Kovalev.

Anyway, I am not even sure that Steveson would accept a fight against Beterebiev. He's gonna have enough work with Thomas, which he might loose if he gets connected on the chin by Thomas.

Stevenson and his crystal chin would not last long against Beterbiev.

Thomas is garbage. Got his ass handed to him by a shot/old Campillo who wasn't even a puncher. Also Stevenson's chin might be shaky but he's elusive. He's not that easy to tag. Beterbiev looks stiff as a board when I've watched him fight. His opponent Maderna is garbage aswell.

[PredatorHayds]

Is this being shown live?

I could only find a delayed broadcast on Wednesday.

[chad]

Is this being shown live?

I could only find a delayed broadcast on Wednesday.

It should be live on the BTSport/ESPN channel

[Ian1973]

Is this being shown live?

I could only find a delayed broadcast on Wednesday.

It should be live on the BTSport/ESPN channel

It is. It is listed as starting at 4AM.

[TheLeprechaun]

Didn't beterbiev bottle a fight with kovalev recently?

[crusader]

Didn't beterbiev bottle a fight with kovalev recently?

He was offered a fight with Kovalev on HBO (since Sergey has an exlcusive contract with them), but AB's side turned down a career high-purse + 25 percent of Canadian TV money. Beterbiev's promoter acknowledged that an 'honest offer' was made but stated that there were other plans for Beterbiev.

At the time it was suggested that given Kovalev's withdrawal from the Stevenson pursebid, AB would pursue the IBF mandatory route to force another pursebid and hence get Kovalev to drop that title without a fight, which means that he could become champ without the massive risk of losing to Kovalev and without having to fight on network that has very poor relations with Uncle Al.

[Taansend]

The fight is on BT ESPN as the PBC show is being shown on ESPN Stateside

Beterbiev is clearly a hard hitter but ive not been that impresssed with the last couple of performances,i dont know if he's falling in love with his power a little because he looked great at first destroying Campillo and Cloud etc but he was a bit plodding last couple of fights and seemed to be loading up and just wasnt shining before he managed to find the KO,i expect him to get the win again here though,i havent seen Maderna but he lost both times he's stepped up against Rodriguez and Oosthuizen albeit on points,Artur will do well to stop him here

I agree....obviously the power is there but he's looked limited at times.

I'll be honest, I used to think the same about kovalev.....

[crusader]

Beterbiev is less refined now than Kovalev was even 5 years ago.

[lefty]

Maybe I'm being harsh but Beterbiev just doesn't overly impress me when I watch him. Him against Fonfara would have been a good test and measuring stick.

[TheLeprechaun]

Didn't beterbiev bottle a fight with kovalev recently?

He was offered a fight with Kovalev on HBO (since Sergey has an exlcusive contract with them), but AB's side turned down a career high-purse + 25 percent of Canadian TV money. Beterbiev's promoter acknowledged that an 'honest offer' was made but stated that there were other plans for Beterbiev.

At the time it was suggested that given Kovalev's withdrawal from the Stevenson pursebid, AB would pursue the IBF mandatory route to force another pursebid and hence get Kovalev to drop that title without a fight, which means that he could become champ without the massive risk of losing to Kovalev and without having to fight on network that has very poor relations with Uncle Al.

Do you think he bottled it? I think he should have taken it. He's quite big for the weight, and not sure how long he can stay at 175

[Autobarn]

Maybe I'm being harsh but Beterbiev just doesn't overly impress me when I watch him. Him against Fonfara would have been a good test and measuring stick.

Agreed on both points.

Heard about him being a destroyer, the heir apparent (either to Stevenson or Kovalev) but turned his fight off, impatient.

Maybe he will show something extra, or not, vs someone like Fonfara.

[handsofstone]

Cant take nothing from Beterbiev's performance because Maderna was so poor and didnt offer much resistence,i think he felt the power after the 1st KD and was looking for a way out thereafter

[Ian1973]

Beterbiev isn't beating Kovalev as long as he has a hole in his arse. He is way too limited. Plenty of power, not much else.

[Wales]

Beterbiev isn't beating Kovalev as long as he has a hole in his arse. He is way too limited. Plenty of power, not much else.

He beat him twice in amateurs once by KO, albeit a long time ago. Not seen Bertebiev tested yet and with a year out can forgive him for fighting the argie last sat, although he was a career super middle. Have to agree, on paper Kovalev looks superior. Would certainly favour him from what I've seen so far.

Kovalev, Ward, Stevenson, Bertebiev - let's sort out who's #1