Russian boxer Sharabutdin Ataev told that he did not consider his meetings with his compatriots to be real Artur Beterbiev And Dmitri Bivol in the near future.
On Friday in Chelyabinsk, at the RCC Boxing Promotions tournament, the 2023 world champion and 2024 European champion, the holder of the IBA belt Sharabutdin Atayev (7-0, KO 4) defeated the Argentinian Brian Suarez (19-3, KO 18) by technical knockout at the RCC Boxing Promotions tournament. Bivol and Beterbiev will face each other in person on October 12 in Saudi Arabia for the title of absolute world champion in the light heavyweight division.
“It seems to me that the preparation for this fight was much harder than the fight itself.
– Yes, much harder. The last training was extremely difficult. I made mistakes when losing weight, I can only blame myself. As for the fight itself, we thought that the opponent would be faster. After the first actions, I realized that he would not be able to keep up with me. If you have not noticed, in the first round I practically did not use my right hand – I worked only with my left hand. And in the second round, he added a right hand and the fight was over.
— Describe the decisive moment with your own eyes.
– Yes, I didn’t even see it (laughs). I just didn’t have time. But after the first knockdown, I understood in my head that there was no need to attack and that I had to act cold-bloodedly. And I continued to work carefully, but at the moment of the KO I felt that I had succeeded.
— You are the WBA Gold light heavyweight champion. I am specifically focusing on the weight category where the champions are Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Can you imagine your fight with one of them?
— We are aiming for championship titles. Gradually we will rise and win other belts and according to other versions. We will strive to win title fights. But before them (before Bivol and Beterbiev) there are many rivals. We are ready for everyone. We will decide everything together with the team.
— Do you plan to fight Bivol or Beterbiev in the near future?
“Certainly not next year,” Ataev told .
The RCC Boxing Promotions tournament in Chelyabinsk was broadcast live on and Match! Fighter.
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I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
