Tag: Meng Fanlong

Artur Beterbiev, like many boxers, feeling financial pinch from hiatus

Artur Beterbiev is feeling the adverse effects of the coronavirus after his March 28 fight against Fanlong Meng was canceled.

Artur Beterbiev took it in stride when he received word that his March 28 light heavyweight defense against Fanlong Meng in Quebec City had been canceled because of the coronavirus. He simply continued his workouts, says head trainer Marc Ramsay.

Make no mistake, though: Beterbiev’s wallet took a hit.

Fighters everywhere today are feeling the financial sting these days, especially those who had fights lined up this spring, as Beterbiev did, only to see them postponed or cancelled outright as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ramsay estimates that Beterbiev is out anywhere from $35,000- $52,000 ($50,000 to $75,000 in Canadian dollars) in training camp expenses. It’s money he won’t recover for the time being. Maybe not for a long time.

“It’s a true catastrophe,” Ramsay told the The Journal of Montreal. “In addition to not receiving his purse, Artur is going to absorb all the costs for his training camp.

“It’s a camp that had big expenses in terms of the salary for the six-man team, their allowances, flight tickets and housing.”

A possible silver lining is that promoter Top Rank is seriously looking at the option to stage Beterbiev-Meng in a closed studio shut off from the public. That would mean the card would take place in the U.S., which could be especially problematic for Ramsay, Beterbeiv, but also Ramsay’s other client Oscar Rivas, the Colombian heavyweight contender who was scheduled to appear on the undercard.  

The U.S. and Canada recently agreed to close their borders to non-essential traffic. 

“Oscar is in Canada on a renewable work permit. If he has to go to the U.S. for a fight, he wouldn’t be able to return to [Canada] but would have to go back to [his home in] Colombia,” Ramsay told The Journal. “For me and Artur, we would have to be quarantined upon our return. In short, we’d be taking a step backwards.”

Ramsay himself is feeling the adverse effects of the coronavirus on his own business. With the exception of Beterbiev and Rivas, Ramsay has closed off his Montreal gym to his regular clientele and has asked his amateur and professional boxers to stay home. Ramsay is trying to think of creative ways to maintain his stable, but with a public health crisis restricting so many aspects of daily life, good ideas are hard to come by.

“We could maybe do our training camp outside, but even that isn’t optimal,” Ramsay said. “In my opinion, we’re far from doing that. We’ll make plans as soon as we get some precise dates.”

Top Rank cancels cards through April, including Beterbiev, Inoue bouts

Top Rank shelved all cards scheduled through April, including those featuring Artur Beterbiev and Naoya Inoue, because of coronavirus.

One more domino fell Monday.

Top Rank shelved all cards scheduled through April, including light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev’s title defense on March 28 and bantamweight champ Naoya Inoue’s Las Vegas debut on April 25 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The health and safety of our fighters, staff and ESPN’s incredible production team is the most important thing as we plan our next steps,” Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum said hours after Premier Boxing Champions canceled its schedule through April and Matchroom Boxing canceled the Regis Prograis-Maurice Hooker junior welterweight bout.

“We look forward to the day when we can bring our loyal fans world-class boxing once again, but exercising caution is the most prudent thing to do at this moment.”

After canceling cards in New York featuring featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson on Saturday and Mick Conlan on Tuesday, Arum had talked about trying to stage boxing in a studio-like production. There would have been no fans. Only judges, referee, ringside physician, ESPN’s broadcast crew and other necessary personnel would have been there.

Then, however, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory Sunday, recommending that events with 50 people or more should not happen over the next eight weeks. On top of that, MGM announced that its casinos and hotels in Las Vegas would be closed for “the foreseeable future.’’

Inoue was scheduled for a title defense against John Riel Casimero at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, an MGM property. Beterbiev was set to fight Fanlong Meng in Quebec City, Canada.

Promoter Bob Arum: Staging cards in studios could save them

Bob Arum is mulling the possibility of staging boxing cards in studios, with only essential personnel, but Coronavirus testing would be key.

From elbow bumps when greeting someone to staying at home, there are lots of ways to practice social distancing.

Going into a studio might be another way.

At least, Bob Arum thinks so.

In attempt to save cards from cancellation in the face of the spreading coronavirus pandemic, Arum said he is thinking about staging bouts without fans and with only cameras, referee, judges, ringside physicians and other necessary personnel in Las Vegas.

“We’re gonna try to set up a studio atmosphere in Vegas, so we can do fights maybe,” the Top Rank chairman said Friday during “The Ak & Barak Show” on SiriusXM.

A couple of options are the Artur Beterbiev-Meng Fanlong and Naoya Inoue-John Riel Casimero bouts, which had been scheduled for March 28 in Quebec City and April 25 in Las Vegas, respectively.

Arum had considered a studio-like setting for the Shakur Stevenson-Miguel Marriaga fight this past Saturday and a Saint Patrick’s Day card featuring Mick Conlan on Tuesday, both at the Hulu Theater at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Initially, it was announced both cards would take place without fans in the seats. Then, however, both were cancelled. The Nevada State Athletic Commission said no, because testing for the respiratory infection was not available, according to Arum.

ESPN was scheduled to televise both cards. Other than the UFC, the network has been left with virtually no content because of the virus. College basketball’s tournaments have been cancelled. The NBA has been suspended. Major league baseball has canceled remaining spring-training games.

“They’re gonna need content, and we can provide content’’ Arum said.  “We’ve talked to the athletic commission here (in Nevada), doing fights in a studio. But we’ve got to get the testing done. We’ve gotta get enough tests here, so that we can test the fighters before the fights, so we can show that they do not have the virus. Or, if they have the virus, they can’t fight. I mean, that’s what we’re working on.”

Artur Beterbiev to face challenger Meng Fanlong in Quebec City

Artur Beterbiev will defend his light heavyweight belts against Chinese challenger Meng Fanlong on March 28 in Quebec City.

Artur Beterbiev’s next fight had bounced from continent to continent, from country to country. Finally, he has a place and a date.

He’s going home.

Beterbiev, a transplanted Canadian, will defend his light heavyweight belts against Chinese challenger Meng Fanlong in Quebec City on March 28 in his first bout since an impressive stoppage of Oleksandr Gvozydk four months ago, Top Rank announced Friday.

“I’m very much looking forward to defending my IBF and WBC titles against mandatory challenger Meng Fanlong,” said the unbeaten Beterbiev, who has a perfect record – 15 knockouts in 15 fights. “I’m training hard, improving every day, and I intend to perform at my best in front of my Canadian supporters.”

For at least a month, it wasn’t clear when or where Beterbiev, No. 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, would make the first defense of the two titles he won against Gvozydk last October in Philadelphia.

It looked as if the bout would land in China because a Chinese entity had won the promotional rights. Then, however, there were worries that Beterbiev would refuse to fight there. Beterbiev, who moved to Montreal from his native Russia several years ago,  is a practicing Muslim. The Chinese government has been detaining Muslims in camps, according to news reports.

The spread of coronavirus probably would have kept the fight out of China, anyway. But the Chinese promoter defaulted on its bid. The promotional rights went to Top Rank, which finally moved the ESPN-televised bout to Canada.

“I am truly honored to be fighting Artur Beterbiev for the light heavyweight championship,” said Fanlong (16-0, 10 KOs), a 2012 Olympian who hopes to become the first Chinese fighter heavier than featherweight to win a world title.  “I have worked hard to earn the mandatory position, and I plan on being the first Chinese light heavyweight champion in history. This is just the beginning.”

Boxing Junkie Rankings

Coronavirus no threat to Beterbiev-Meng bout on March 28

Artur Beterbiev doesn’t have to worry about the coronavirus when he takes on Chinese contender Fanlong Meng on March 28 in Montreal.

The fists of light heavyweight titleholder Artur Beterbiev knock out opponents inside the ring but are useless against the deadly coronavirus that has killed more than 400 people and infected 20,000 others worldwide.

There were concerns in some corners that the novel virus, which originated in the city of Wuhan, China, would lead to the cancellation of Beterbiev’s projected defense of his two titles against Chinese challenger Fanlong Meng on March 28 in Quebec City. A formal announcement of the bout is pending. 

Yvon Michel, who is working with Beterbiev promoter Top Rank to stage the fight, told The Montreal Journal that Meng’s promoter Dino Duva assured him that his charge has had virtually no chance of contracting the virus. 

“I contacted Meng’s promoter (Dino Duva) when the very first cases of death from the coronavirus had been announced,” Michel told the newspaper. “He quickly assured me that his boxer had been living in New Jersey for the past few years and that he had not returned to China for some time.”

Most of the coronavirus cases have occurred in China. The infectious disease has spread to at least 23 countries, according to multiple reports.

“Our lawyers are already working to obtain a visa for Meng,” Michel added. “We would love to have him be present for our press conference launching the fight.”

Top Rank canceled its Feb. 1 card in Haikou, China featuring a junior welterweight title fight between Jose Ramirez and Viktor Postol out of concern for the virus outbreak.

Beterbiev-Meng was supposed to take place in China after Chinese promoter LoveJoy Sports turned in the winning bid to the IBF. But after failing to make timely payments to the sanctioning body, the rights to the bout reverted to the second highest bidder, Top Rank. There were also concerns that Beterbiev, who is Muslim, would boycott the fight if it took place in China because of that country’s appalling treatment of Uighur, an ethnically Turkic Muslim minority group living in the westernmost province of Xinjiang.

Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) unified the WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles when he stopped then titleholder Oleksandr Gvozdyk in the 10th round last October.

Meng (16-0, 10 KOs), who represented China at the 2012 London Olympics, fought twice in 2019, picking up wins over Gilberto Rubio and Adam Deines.

Artur Beterbiev vs. Meng Fanlong set for March 28 in Quebec City

Undefeated Artur Beterbiev is scheduled to re-appear March 28 in Quebec City against former Chinese Olympian Meng Fanlong.

There’s not much question about Artur Beterbiev’s light heavyweight supremacy. But there have been questions and some confusion about where, when and whom he’d fight next.

Finally, an answer.

Beterbiev, undefeated and No. 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, is scheduled to re-appear March 28 in Quebec City against former Chinese Olympian Meng Fanlong.

Initially, it looked as if Beterbiev’s first fight since unifying the 175-pound title with a second belt by stopping Oleksandr Gvozdyk would be in China. Longjoy Sports won a purse bid with a $1.9-million offer. But Longjoy failed to make good on its offer. The deadline passed with no deposit from the Chinese promoter. The promotional rights then went to Top Rank, which had offered $1.315 million.

Top Rank then decided to move the fight to Quebec City, according to a story first reported by ESPN, which will televise the bout.

The move allayed fears that Beterbiev, a Russian, would refuse to fight in China because of the government’s anti-Muslim policy. According to media reports, Muslims have been confined in Chinese detention camps.  Beterbiev, 35, is a Muslim of Chechen descent.

Beterbiev (15-0,15 KOs) fought 10 of his first 11 fights in Quebec. Since then, he has been fighting in the United States, including an impressive 10th-round TKO of then-unbeaten Gvozdyk on Oct. 18 in Philadelphia. He knocked down Gvozydk three times.

Fanlong (16-0, 10 KOs), who represented China at the 2012 London Games, has fought in the U.S. nine times, including a second-round stoppage of Gilberto Rubio in Hockessin, Delaware on Oct. 5, 13 days before Beterbiev’s dramatic victory over Gvozydk in nearby Philadelphia.

Artur Beterbiev to fight in Quebec City instead of China on March 28

Artur Beterbiev won’t have to worry about compromising his religious beliefs, after it was announced that his next bout won’t be in China.

Artur Beterbiev won’t have to compromise his personal convictions for his next fight, it turns out. 

Originally, it appeared the two-belt light heavyweight titleholder and devout Muslim would have to travel to China to face his IBF mandatory Meng Fanlong after Fanlong’s Chinese promoter Lovejoy Sports won the Dec. 30 purse bid for the bout. But Lovejoy Sports, which co-promotes Fanlong with the American outfit Roc Nation, failed to meet the deadline for a scheduled payment. Per IBF rules, that meant rights to the fight would default to the next highest bidder, Beterbiev’s promoter, Top Rank.

Top Rank is planning to stage the bout in Quebec City on March 28, according to ESPN.com. It is a homecoming of sorts for Beterbiev, a Chechen Russian who has been living and training in the Montreal area for most of his professional career. Beterbiev unified the WBC and IBF belts on Oct. 18, when he stopped then-undefeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk by a 10th-round stoppage.

In light of the news, Beterbiev (15-0, 15 knockouts) can let out a sigh of relief.

The 34-year-old bruiser was reportedly dead set against fighting Fanlong (16-0, 10 KOs) in China, presumably because Beterbiev takes issue with China’s treatment of its Uighur, an ethnically Turkic Muslim minority group living in the westernmost province of Xinjiang. In an effort to crack down on any hint of dissent, the Chinese government has been forcing the Uighur to turn their backs on their religion and traditions, including banning the naming of any of their sons “Muhammad.” It is thought that at least a million Uighurs are being detained in re-education centers.

Rumors suggested Beterbiev was willing to vacate his IBF title rather than fight in China.

Fanlong’s promoter, Dino Duva of Roc Nation, expressed his dismay with his Chinese partners.

“(I’m) very disappointed that Longjoy Sports defaulted,” Duva told Boxing Junkie. “It would have been great for Fanlong, and an historic event for boxing and China. However, I’m confident it will be a great fight in Canada and that Fanlong can beat him anywhere.”

Duva said he doesn’t know why Longjoy Sports failed to make the payment but noted that it was not out of negligence, adding that “they didn’t forget, they knew the rules and obligations.”

Longjoy Sports initially won the rights to the Beterbiev-Menlong bout on Dec. 30 with a bid of $1.9 million, which beat out the $1.35 million offer from Top Rank.