Tag: Artur Beterbiev

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating victory?

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?

Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.

Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.

Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.

Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.

Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol– No fight scheduled.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– No fight scheduled.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia, although no formal announcement has been made.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).

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Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating victory?

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?

Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.

Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.

Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.

Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.

Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol– No fight scheduled.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– No fight scheduled.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia, although no formal announcement has been made.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).

[lawrence-related id=40466,40446,40442]

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev destroyed Callum Smith. Dmitry Bivol next?

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev destroyed Callum Smith on Saturday in Canada. Is a showdown with Dmitry Bivol next?

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Artur Beterbiev

Bring on Dmity Bivol. Beterbiev demonstrated in his seventh-round knockout of Callum Smith on Saturday night that he’s still going strong as he approaches his 39th birthday on Jan. 21, this despite a one-year layoff going into the fight. It was a complete performance. The three-belt 175-pound champion outboxed a good, experienced opponent, outworked him, broke him down, dropped him twice and finally stopped him in his eighth title defense, giving him 20 knockouts in as many fights. His next fight might not be so easy. He and single beltholder Bivol reportedly have agreed to fight for the undisputed championship, although no formal announcement has been made. Bivol is no Smith, as he demonstrated by schooling Canelo Alvarez in 2022. Beterbiev’s boxing ability is underappreciated because of his knockout record – he sets up his heavy blows brilliantly – but he’s not as skillful as Bivol, a master technician who is more athletic than his fellow Russian. The question is whether Bivol is good enough to avoid Beterbiev’s freakishly heavy hands for 12 rounds. No one else has been able to do so. Can you think of a more interesting matchup?

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) seems to have settled into his place in the boxing hierarchy. The former 168-pound titleholder is a capable all-around fighter who has been unable to get to the pinnacle of the sport, as one-sided losses in his two biggest fights (Alvarez and Beterbiev) demonstrate. The setback on Saturday was particularly damaging. He fought bravely but was never a genuine threat to Beterbiev, who became the first to drop and stop the Englishman. Smith is good, not special. And it it takes a special fighter to beat the likes of Alvarez and Beterbiev. What’s next for Smith? Maybe a meeting with countryman Anthony Yarde, who was Beterbiev’s previous victim. Smith might be the best light heavyweight in the U.K. …

The jury is still out on 168-pound contender Christian Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) but one thing is certain: He’s fun to watch. The 28-year-old Frenchman throws punches in bunches from the opening bell and doesn’t stop until his opponent can no longer fight, as we saw in his wild sixth-round knockout of tough, but overwhelmed Rohan Murdock (27-3, 19 KOs) on the Beterbiev-Smith card. Naturally, Mbilli wants a shot at undisputed champion Alvarez. How would that work out for him? Not well if he fights like he did on Saturday. He’d get knocked out. We’ll see whether Mbilli is a mere brawler or a truly good all-around fighter when he steps up in class, whether that’s against Alvarez or a top contender.

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Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev destroyed Callum Smith. Dmitry Bivol next?

Weekend Review: Artur Beterbiev destroyed Callum Smith on Saturday in Canada. Is a showdown with Dmitry Bivol next?

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Artur Beterbiev

Bring on Dmity Bivol. Beterbiev demonstrated in his seventh-round knockout of Callum Smith on Saturday night that he’s still going strong as he approaches his 39th birthday on Jan. 21, this despite a one-year layoff going into the fight. It was a complete performance. The three-belt 175-pound champion outboxed a good, experienced opponent, outworked him, broke him down, dropped him twice and finally stopped him in his eighth title defense, giving him 20 knockouts in as many fights. His next fight might not be so easy. He and single beltholder Bivol reportedly have agreed to fight for the undisputed championship, although no formal announcement has been made. Bivol is no Smith, as he demonstrated by schooling Canelo Alvarez in 2022. Beterbiev’s boxing ability is underappreciated because of his knockout record – he sets up his heavy blows brilliantly – but he’s not as skillful as Bivol, a master technician who is more athletic than his fellow Russian. The question is whether Bivol is good enough to avoid Beterbiev’s freakishly heavy hands for 12 rounds. No one else has been able to do so. Can you think of a more interesting matchup?

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) seems to have settled into his place in the boxing hierarchy. The former 168-pound titleholder is a capable all-around fighter who has been unable to get to the pinnacle of the sport, as one-sided losses in his two biggest fights (Alvarez and Beterbiev) demonstrate. The setback on Saturday was particularly damaging. He fought bravely but was never a genuine threat to Beterbiev, who became the first to drop and stop the Englishman. Smith is good, not special. And it it takes a special fighter to beat the likes of Alvarez and Beterbiev. What’s next for Smith? Maybe a meeting with countryman Anthony Yarde, who was Beterbiev’s previous victim. Smith might be the best light heavyweight in the U.K. …

The jury is still out on 168-pound contender Christian Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) but one thing is certain: He’s fun to watch. The 28-year-old Frenchman throws punches in bunches from the opening bell and doesn’t stop until his opponent can no longer fight, as we saw in his wild sixth-round knockout of tough, but overwhelmed Rohan Murdock (27-3, 19 KOs) on the Beterbiev-Smith card. Naturally, Mbilli wants a shot at undisputed champion Alvarez. How would that work out for him? Not well if he fights like he did on Saturday. He’d get knocked out. We’ll see whether Mbilli is a mere brawler or a truly good all-around fighter when he steps up in class, whether that’s against Alvarez or a top contender.

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Photos: Artur Beterbiev’s seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith

Photos: Artur Beterbiev’s seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Saturday in Canada.

Light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev put Callum Smith down twice and stopped him at 2:00 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12-rounder, the winner’s 20th knockout in as many fights.

Here are images from the bout. All photos by Mathieu Belanger of Getty Images.

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Artur Beterbiev keeps knockout streak alive against Callum Smith

Artur Beterbiev kept his knockout streak alive against Callum Smith on Saturday, stopping the Englishman in seven rounds.

Artur Beterbiev doesn’t fight like a guy who is going to turn 39 on Jan. 21.

The 175-pound titleholder dominated another good opponent Saturday in Quebec City, Canada, this time dropping Callum Smith twice and stopping him the seventh round.

Beterbiev has now stopped all 20 of his professional opponents.

The winner outjabbed, outboxed and outworked Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) from the first round, patiently, methodically stalking him and gradually breaking him down.

Smith, a former 168-pound champion, had some good moments — Beterbiev is hittable — but he had neither the ability nor the punching power to slow down the winner.

The end came suddenly. Beterbiev landed a right hand to the temple of Smith about a minute into Round 7, buckling the knees of the Englishman. He followed with a vicious barrage that ultimately put Smith down for the first time in his career.

Smith was able to get up but took another series of hard shots that put him on the canvas a second time about 30 seconds later. At the point, his trainer, Buddy McGirt, jumped into the ring to save his fighter from taking more punishment.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:00 of Round 7.

The CompuBox statistics reflected Beterbiev’s dominance. He landed 182 of 471 punches overall (38.6%) to 59 of 366 (16.1%) for Smith. Also, he had an 87-31 edge in power punches.

Beterbiev was modest afterward.

“It’s because of luck,” he said. “It’s my coach (Marc Ramsay). My team works hard with me, too. Maybe that’s why, too. But I think it’s because of luck.”

He went on: “We had a couple strategies. We always have more than one. We need to be prepared for several strategies. He gave me a good fight. He stayed strong. Thanks to him. Today, luck is on my side.”

The victory could set up a title-unification showdown with Dmitry Bivol, as both men reportedly agreed to the fight.

Bivol has already enjoyed success at the pinnacle of the sport, outpointing superstar Canelo Alvarez in May 2022. Bivol would be the most accomplished opponent in Beterbiev’s career.

The winner would become undisputed champion and the most respected 175-pounder of the era.

“Yes, of course [I want the Bivol fight],” Beterbiev said. “I need another belt. It would mean a lot to me.”

Artur Beterbiev keeps knockout streak alive against Callum Smith

Artur Beterbiev kept his knockout streak alive against Callum Smith on Saturday, stopping the Englishman in seven rounds.

Artur Beterbiev doesn’t fight like a guy who is going to turn 39 on Jan. 21.

The 175-pound titleholder dominated another good opponent Saturday in Quebec City, Canada, this time dropping Callum Smith twice and stopping him the seventh round.

Beterbiev has now stopped all 20 of his professional opponents.

The winner outjabbed, outboxed and outworked Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) from the first round, patiently, methodically stalking him and gradually breaking him down.

Smith, a former 168-pound champion, had some good moments — Beterbiev is hittable — but he had neither the ability nor the punching power to slow down the winner.

The end came suddenly. Beterbiev landed a right hand to the temple of Smith about a minute into Round 7, buckling the knees of the Englishman. He followed with a vicious barrage that ultimately put Smith down for the first time in his career.

Smith was able to get up but took another series of hard shots that put him on the canvas a second time about 30 seconds later. At the point, his trainer, Buddy McGirt, jumped into the ring to save his fighter from taking more punishment.

The official time of the stoppage was 2:00 of Round 7.

The CompuBox statistics reflected Beterbiev’s dominance. He landed 182 of 471 punches overall (38.6%) to 59 of 366 (16.1%) for Smith. Also, he had an 87-31 edge in power punches.

Beterbiev was modest afterward.

“It’s because of luck,” he said. “It’s my coach (Marc Ramsay). My team works hard with me, too. Maybe that’s why, too. But I think it’s because of luck.”

He went on: “We had a couple strategies. We always have more than one. We need to be prepared for several strategies. He gave me a good fight. He stayed strong. Thanks to him. Today, luck is on my side.”

The victory could set up a title-unification showdown with Dmitry Bivol, as both men reportedly agreed to the fight.

Bivol has already enjoyed success at the pinnacle of the sport, outpointing superstar Canelo Alvarez in May 2022. Bivol would be the most accomplished opponent in Beterbiev’s career.

The winner would become undisputed champion and the most respected 175-pounder of the era.

“Yes, of course [I want the Bivol fight],” Beterbiev said. “I need another belt. It would mean a lot to me.”

Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev put Callum Smith down twice and stopped him at 2:00 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12-rounder, the winner’s 20th knockout in as many fights.

Beterbiev outboxed and outworked Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) from the first round, methodically stalking the challenger and gradually breaking him down.

However, the end cam suddenly. Beterbiev landed a right hand to the temple of Smith about a minute into Round 7, buckling the knees of the Englishman. Beterbiev followed with a vicious barrage that ultimately put Smith down for the first time in his career.

Smith was able to get up but took another series of hard shots that put him on the canvas again. At the point, his trainer, Buddy McGirt, jumped into the ring to save his fighter from taking more punishment.

The victory could set up a title-unification showdown with Dmitry Bivol, the conqueror of Canelo Alvarez.

A full report will follow shortly.

***

Super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli stopped durable, but overmatched Rohan Murdock after the sixth round of a scheduled 10-rounder.

Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs), a relentless slugger from France, landed vicious punches to both the head and body at will from beginning to end.

Murdock (27-3, 19 KOs) showed inhuman resilience to survive six rounds and remain on his feet — and landed good shots here and there — but he had no genuine answers for Mbilli’s overwhelming attack and broke down as the one-sided fight progressed.

Mbilli hurt Murdock badly toward the end of the Round 5, when it appeared the fight might be stopped. The continued pounded finally convinced Murdock’s trainer to stop the fight after Round 6.

Mbilli is ranked No. 1 by two of the major sanctioning bodies, making him a prime candidate to face undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.

***

Jason Moloney defeated to Saul Sanchez by a majority decision in the first defense of his WBO 118-pound title on the Artur Beterbiev-Calleum Smith card Saturday in Quebec City, Canada.

The official scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 114-114.

Moloney (27-2, 19 KOs) won the vacant belt in his previous fight, a majority decision over Victor Astrolabio in May. The Aussie now has won six consecutive times since he was stopped by Naoya Inoue in 2020.

Sanchez (20-3, 12 KOs) was fighting for a major title for the first time.

***

Unbeaten Artur Beterbiev is scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Saturday night in Quebec City, Canada (ESPN, ESPN+).

The featured portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. (main event later in the show).

Also on the card: Jason Moloney vs. Saul Sanchez, bantamweights (for Moloney’s WBO title); Christian Mbilli vs. Rohan Murdock, super middleweights; Imam Khataev vs. Rodolfo Gomez Jr., light heavyweights

Boxing Junkie will post results, as well as a brief summary, immediately after the featured fights end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – detailed fight stories, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the card and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

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Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev put Callum Smith down twice and stopped him at 2:00 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12-rounder, the winner’s 20th knockout in as many fights.

Beterbiev outboxed and outworked Smith (29-2, 21 KOs) from the first round, methodically stalking the challenger and gradually breaking him down.

However, the end cam suddenly. Beterbiev landed a right hand to the temple of Smith about a minute into Round 7, buckling the knees of the Englishman. Beterbiev followed with a vicious barrage that ultimately put Smith down for the first time in his career.

Smith was able to get up but took another series of hard shots that put him on the canvas again. At the point, his trainer, Buddy McGirt, jumped into the ring to save his fighter from taking more punishment.

The victory could set up a title-unification showdown with Dmitry Bivol, the conqueror of Canelo Alvarez.

A full report will follow shortly.

***

Super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli stopped durable, but overmatched Rohan Murdock after the sixth round of a scheduled 10-rounder.

Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs), a relentless slugger from France, landed vicious punches to both the head and body at will from beginning to end.

Murdock (27-3, 19 KOs) showed inhuman resilience to survive six rounds and remain on his feet — and landed good shots here and there — but he had no genuine answers for Mbilli’s overwhelming attack and broke down as the one-sided fight progressed.

Mbilli hurt Murdock badly toward the end of the Round 5, when it appeared the fight might be stopped. The continued pounded finally convinced Murdock’s trainer to stop the fight after Round 6.

Mbilli is ranked No. 1 by two of the major sanctioning bodies, making him a prime candidate to face undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.

***

Jason Moloney defeated to Saul Sanchez by a majority decision in the first defense of his WBO 118-pound title on the Artur Beterbiev-Calleum Smith card Saturday in Quebec City, Canada.

The official scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 114-114.

Moloney (27-2, 19 KOs) won the vacant belt in his previous fight, a majority decision over Victor Astrolabio in May. The Aussie now has won six consecutive times since he was stopped by Naoya Inoue in 2020.

Sanchez (20-3, 12 KOs) was fighting for a major title for the first time.

***

Unbeaten Artur Beterbiev is scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Saturday night in Quebec City, Canada (ESPN, ESPN+).

The featured portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. (main event later in the show).

Also on the card: Jason Moloney vs. Saul Sanchez, bantamweights (for Moloney’s WBO title); Christian Mbilli vs. Rohan Murdock, super middleweights; Imam Khataev vs. Rodolfo Gomez Jr., light heavyweights

Boxing Junkie will post results, as well as a brief summary, immediately after the featured fights end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – detailed fight stories, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the card and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

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Is aging light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev ripe for an upset?

Is aging light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev ripe for an upset either against Callum Smith on Saturday or Dmitry Bivol soon?

It’s difficult to imagine Artur Beterbiev losing.

That’s the result of the 175-pound titleholder’s perfect resume: 19 fights, 19 knockouts. No fighter in the world has been more dominating than the imposing Canada-based Russian.

That being said, some wonder whether Beterbiev is ripe for a downfall. Consider:

  • He turns 39 on Jan. 21, an age when most fighters are in decline or well into their second careers.
  • He hasn’t been particularly active, with only two fights over the past two-plus years (knockouts of Joe Smith Jr. and Anthony Yarde).
  • His toughest tests could lie ahead. He faces former 168-pound champ Callum Smith on Saturday in Quebec City (ESPN, ESPN+) and appears to be on a collision course with fellow beltholder and principal threat Dmitry Bivol.
  • And he recently had surgery to treat an infection in his jaw bone, which contributed to his inactivity. He was originally set to face Smith this past August.

All that could mean that Beterbiev’s record and place among the best in the business is in jeopardy.

One knowledgeable insider believes Smith is going to deliver an upset even though the Englishman faltered badly the last time he stepped up in class, losing a one-sided decision to Canelo Alvarez in 2020.

“I’ve picked Smith to win,” the insider said, “but it’s a timing pick. Beterbiev is almost 40 years old. He’s always been hittable, and Yarde’s punches were backing him up. I also hear that jaw infection/injury was really bad.

“[But] if [Beterbiev is] in top form, Smith is in trouble.”

The oddsmakers evidently believe Beterbiev is fit. They made him a 4-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets).

However, he did look vulnerable against Yarde until a hard right hand led to another knockout in the eighth round. The challenger was leading on two of the three cards after seven.

The same can be said of his fight with capable Oleksandr Gvozdyk in 2019, when Beterbiev came from behind to score a 10th-round stoppage in arguably his toughest outing.

Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) fell flat against Alvarez but has looked formidable before and since. He has won his two fights following his setback, knockouts of second-tier opponents Lenin Castillo and Mathieu Bauderlique at 175 pounds.

And the Liverpudlian is recharged under new trainer Buddy McGirt. He obviously faces an uphill battle but he seems to be ready.

“He’s a very good fighter,” Smith said of his opponent. “He’s a three-belt champion. So his achievements speak for themselves. But I believe in myself. I always have.”

Beterbiev and his handlers also believe in him.

The fighter didn’t say much at a news conference Thursday but made it clear that he has put in the work required to succeed, saying, “I’m excited, just like I am for every fight. For this fight, we prepared like we usually do, which is at 100 percent.”

His head trainer, Marc Ramsay, respects Smith but he expects his protégé to remain unbeaten on Saturday night.

“He’s a good fighter,” Ramsay said of Smith. “He’s complete. He’s No. 1 for a reason. But at the end of the day, Artur has been boxing since he was 9. He’s seen everything.”

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