russian boxer Arthur Beterbiev has crazy statistics – 18 first wins in 18 fights in the professional ring. None of the current champions can boast of this. Beterbiev earned his eighteenth victory on June 18 by knocking out American Joe Smith Jr. in the second round. In this unification fight, the Russian added the WBO light heavyweight title to his WBC and IBF belts.
On Tuesday, June 28, Beterbiev flew to Moscow. The correspondent caught up with the titled boxer and asked him about current affairs:
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“SMITH TOOK A RISK, HE DIDN’T GO”
Arthur, congratulations on your victory. What are you going to do now ?
– There were only two rounds, and they met me so violently. Thank you, very nice. I will rest for two weeks. I’ll probably go somewhere. The rest has already begun, he went home.
– Did you manage to get tired during a duel with Smith?
“It would probably sound immodest if I said I wasn’t tired. But he didn’t get too tired.
It was a surprise to many that the fight ended so quickly.
“I don’t know, it happened. I was lucky (laughs).
– Fortunate?
– Well, that’s what I call it… “Lucky”. All 18 fights, I got lucky.
– In this context, I would like to recall your other sentence that you want to become a good boxer one day. When will coaches tell you they’ve become one?
– Not yet, but they say it’s very close. There is much more to being a good boxer.
The belts, moreover, it’s not easy (laughs). Now I’m standing with them for twenty minutes…
“Which of these belts is the most treasured or memorable to you?”
– Different feelings. The IBF belt is my first title (won in November 2017 when Enrico Kelling was beaten in the 12th round). The WBC belt is also quite good. This is the first unification fight (in October 2019, when Alexander Gvozdyk fell in the tenth round). Now he also won the WBO belt. For me, they are all precious.
– Based on the results, can we conclude that the fight for the WBO belt turned out to be the easiest?
– You can’t say that. I did the preparation, and it was perhaps more severe and difficult. And the result… As Mike Tyson said, “The easiest thing is the fight itself.”
– A few days after the victory over Smith, you report on your social networks that you were injured during the camp and that you are thinking of postponing the fight.
– Together with the technical staff, we have decided not to disclose details. Let’s see. If I don’t have surgery soon, then I’m fine.
– Did this injury interfere with the fight itself?
“During the fight, it bothered me.
– It looks like Joe Smith has demonstrated how bad it is to box with you.
“It would be wrong to say that. He did everything he could. But he didn’t have enough. Maybe he did something wrong. Speaking in that context, in the 18 fights, they did something wrong Turns out they all showed how not to box with me?
– Not. I’m talking about the fact that going into the wheelhouse against Artur Beterbiev is a rash decision.
– Others did not enter the wheelhouse with me, they fought in a different way. I don’t want to belittle Joe Smith. He took a risk, but he didn’t pass…
“FLAG OF CANADA? IT WAS FORCED”
– In this fight, you were presented as a boxer from Canada?
– It was forced. Once in his entire career, he performed under the Canadian flag. How many years have I been in boxing… 28. Before that, I always competed under the Russian – I hope they won’t judge me harshly and remember that I always represented the flag Russian, I will continue to do so as soon as possible.
Do you have a schedule for the next fight? Maybe they said to you, “Arthur, rest for a month, then we’ll start training, and at such and such a time you fight.”
– There is no. They know that I quickly start training. And the battle itself… September, October. Maybe in December. There is no specific date.
– During your fight in June there was a mandatory challenger according to the WBO version of Briton Anthony Yarde, and he is the one who is called the next opponent.
Until the signing of the contract. Therefore, I do not worry much, as they say.
– And who would you like to fight with?
– The priority is a unifying battle, then how it will be – will grow together or not. After all, the two previous unification fights… A lot of things had to grow together. Although both Gvozdyk and Smith have agreements with Top Rank (this promotion company is represented by Beterbiev – ). And now a boxer from another company and TV. Let’s see. If both parties want it, it can work.
We understand what we are talking about. But you don’t mention his name.
– I have always focused not on names, but on titles.
– What is your attitude towards Dmitry Bivol?
You ask dangerous questions (smiles). I have a normal and adequate attitude. He’s good, he did a good job. He is a champion in his own right. I have a normal attitude.
But you didn’t watch any of his fights?
– No no. You know that I only start watching the fights of the opponents after I sign the contract. I’ve had times when we started to get interested in a potential opponent, but in the end the fight didn’t grow together. And I stopped doing that. I watch fights of boxers who just sign contracts for a fight with them.
Bivol defeated Smith via unanimous decision in March 2019. Did you watch that fight?
– We watched other fights (Smith).
– A purely statistical fact. You dealt Smith in two rounds, and Bivol went all 12. And many are calling the duel with Smith the toughest fight of the WBA (Super) champion’s career.
– I find it difficult to answer.
– You already said that you didn’t watch the May fight between Bivol and Saul Alvarez.
– Yes. I was at camp at the time, preparing for Smith. I have a routine. And the fight is late, and I haven’t watched.
Would you like to fight Canelo?
– When he was champion in our weight (the Mexican won the WBO light heavyweight title – “” in 2019), I said that I was interested in the belt. And Canelo himself and his name don’t bother me, only the belt. And now for me the priority is the fight of unification, or rather the fight for the title of absolute champion.
– Do you have any idea about your other potential rival, Anthony Yarde?
– Not yet. If they sign a contract, we will start studying.
– And in conclusion, a question about the modern trend. MMA fighters try their hand at boxing. In one of our previous interviews, you mentioned the possibility of one day competing against an MMA champion.
– That would be interesting. Most likely, I will never do that (laughs). But that would be cool. Take a UFC champion and a boxing champion and give them a fight under mixed martial arts rules. No one has done the same.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
