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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