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IBF/WBC gentle heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev’s coach Marc Ramsay says he’ll need WBA champ Dmitry Bivol subsequent if he efficiently defeats WBO belt holder Joe Smith Jr. on Saturday evening of their unification match.
(Photograph credit score: Sumio Yamada)
Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) desires all of the belts at 175, and going through WBA champion Bivol will give him the chance full his assortment of titles within the weight class.
First issues first, Beterbiev should defeat Smith Jr. (28-3, 22 KOs) on Saturday at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York. The combat card will likely be proven on ESPN and ESPN+, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET.
One potential downside that Beterbiev might have preventing Bivol subsequent is his promoter Bob Arum. He informed the media this week that he desires WBO obligatory Anthony Yarde to combat the Beterbiev-Smith winner.
Arum says Bivol fights on DAZN, whereas Beterbiev and Smith Jr. competes on ESPN. With Bivol preventing on a distinct community than Arum’s two champions, it makes a possible impediment to placing the match collectively.
In fact, if there have been an opportunity for the Beterbiev vs. Smith winner to face Canelo Alvarez, who competes on DAZN like Bivol, Arum doubtless would soar on the alternative to make that combat.
“With Artur, it’s very completely different. He’s a really, very particular man. He doesn’t combat for the cash. It’s essential like everyone else. I don’t need to fake one thing like that,” stated coach Marc Ramsay to K.O. Artist Sports when requested if Beterbiev was disillusioned seeing Canelo Alvarez lose to Dmitry Bivol.
“What I imply is it’s not the very first thing. His motivation is on efficiency. It’s by no means private. It’s not about identify. It’s about who has the belt,” Ramsay continued about Beterbiev. “Now it’s Bivol, and he desires Bivol.
“In fact, like he desires Joe Smith first. We’ve got an enormous combat to win tomorrow. Our focus is on Joe Smith proper now, however the subsequent step goes to be one other belt. That is by no means a reputation. It’s all the time a couple of problem.
“Nice combat, nice planning from his crew,” Ramsay stated about Bivol’s current win over Canelo Alvarez. “He did the suitable combat and was very disciplined in that combat additionally.
“He [Bivol] did good, but in addition, I believe Canelo reached a degree the place it’s more durable to carry out towards good massive boxers. To beat a light-weight heavyweight is okay, however to beat a prime gentle heavyweight, I don’t know. The scale at one level.
“It’s not the primary time in boxing historical past. [Roberto] Duran misplaced to Thomas Hearns, not as a result of Duran was not good however as a result of that was simply too massive.
“Folks bear in mind Felix Trinidad shedding to Hopkins and Winky Wright. They don’t keep in mind that Felix Trinidad at 147 was a destroyer of everyone. Simply too massive at one level.
“If I’m proper, Bivol got here with the nationwide crew after Artur left the beginner program in Russia,” stated Ramsay when requested if Beterbiev and Bivol have any historical past collectively.
“It’s one thing that he introduced from Russia, particular work,” Ramsay stated about a few of Beterbiev’s exercise routines. He brings some stuff that I attempt to educate to different boxers now.”
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