By Elliot Worsell
THE one good thing about the delay Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith have had to endure recently is that in the end it benefits neither of them. It is no good for Smith, who has fought just twice in three years (registering shy of six rounds at that) and it is no good for Beterbiev, either, for he has not fought since beating Anthony Yarde 12 months ago and turns 39 later this month. In other words, while no delay is ever ideal, in the case of Beterbiev and Smith, who finally meet this Saturday (January 13) in Quebec, it is at least no more a hindrance to one boxer than the other.
Ideally, of course, there would have been delay at all. Ideally, these two would have met when originally planned, back in August, and Beterbiev would not have suffered a jaw infection which put paid to that date. Moreover, in an ideal world these two stellar light-heavyweights would have been more active, both in recent times and more generally, and we would therefore have a far better gauge in terms of what they are both capable of this weekend.
As it is, we possess no such insight or luxury. Instead, rather than going on recent form, we must judge Beterbiev in the context of Father Time, and what we know he can serve when at his cruellest, and we must judge Smith in the context of him being an excellent super-middleweight who is now an unproven light-heavyweight with just two official bouts at that weight to his name. This, it’s true, adds an extra element of mystery to Saturday’s fight, yet still it would have been nice to be able to look upon the fight, unquestionably a good one, as a battle between two on-fire light-heavyweights rather than as a battle of two almost-forgotten men in need of a statement win.
To say such a thing about Beterbiev may seem odd, particularly when 12 months ago he was stopping Anthony Yarde in London in what was one of the best fights of 2023. However, the disappointment with Beterbiev comes purely as a result of inactivity and the fact that despite beating Yarde so impressively there was nothing else to show for it that year. This would be disappointing enough if the fighter in question was in their twenties and still had plenty of time on their side, but with Beterbiev you are dealing with a man not far off 40 whose professional career to date consists of just 19 fights. A pro for 10 and a half years now, although Beterbiev turned over relatively late, that number of fights is still not enough given both the time he has been a pro and the short amount of time it takes for him to finish most of his assignments.
Artur Beterbiev attacks Anthony Yarde during their light-heavyweight fight at Wembley Arena on January 28, 2023 (James Chance/Getty Images)
Indeed, it’s from that a lot of the frustration stems. Because Beterbiev, at his best, is a one-man wrecking machine, someone who as a pro has so far never heard the final bell, and should, again in an ideal world, be the fighter everybody wants to watch going into 2024. He should have a highlight reel as hefty as his barrel-chest and he should be competing in fights which elevate him beyond a world champion – currently the WBC, IBF and WBO belt-holder at light-heavyweight – towards something closer to superstar. Far from a difficult sell, what with his knockout ratio and his cold, unnerving stare, Beterbiev is everything a fan typically looks for in a boxer, especially these days when power trumps speed and highlights are preferable to 12-round clinics. It stands to reason, then, that he should be bigger and busier and have on his record names – and wins – more impressive than Yarde, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Brown and Joe Smith Jnr.
There have been chances, too, scuppered either by injuries or by his reputation, which, although catnip for fans, is, conversely, a reason for opponents to look the other way in the hope Beterbiev continues to age. That has clearly been the approach of one or two light-heavyweights and even with so-called equals – like, for instance, Dmitry Bivol – there has for some reason been an inability to get fights made or to simply see sense.
Certainly, in light of them sharing a weight division, nationality, and unbeaten records, there can be no excuse for Beterbiev and Bivol not sharing a ring. This then becomes even more frustrating to consider when factoring in how both have spent the past 18 months wallowing in relative obscurity. A fight at Wembley Arena against Yarde, for example, will not have been the dream for Beterbiev, either when turning pro or this time last year, and nor will Bivol have imagined that beating Canelo Alvarez in May 2022 would have led only to a couple of fights in the Middle East, the last of which was against Lyndon Arthur, someone Yarde has stopped in four rounds.
The other concern, specifically with Beterbiev, is that time does no favours once you reach a certain age. Even in his fight with Yarde, which he ultimately won inside eight rounds, there were signs of him slowing down, being easier to hit, and not locating the trigger as speedily as in fights of old. This, one could argue, allowed Yarde to match him stride for stride for several of the rounds and it was also what gave him hope when now and again he hurt the seemingly immovable champion, either with body shots or ones thrown upstairs. Frankly, save for when he was dropped, rather heavily, by Callum Johnson in 2018, it is hard to remember a time when Beterbiev appeared as vulnerable as he did that night against Yarde. Backed up, and far more than usual, he was never once in danger of being stopped, or even falling behind, but the air of menace was not quite the same. Nor, it must be said, did Yarde, someone who relishes a close-quarter battle, think twice about standing with Beterbiev and fighting him at his game. That, of all the surprises that night, was arguably the biggest; perhaps even the biggest indicator that Beterbiev, at almost 39, doesn’t frighten opponents the way he once did.
None of Artur Beterbiev’s 19 opponents have lasted the distance (Getty Images)
Still, it’s worth reminding ourselves at this point that Beterbiev remains unbeaten and, with power the last thing to go, as dangerous as any boxer on the planet. Of this Callum Smith, his next opponent, will not need reminding, yet the 33-year-old will no doubt have looked at the success Yarde had against Beterbiev this time last year and seen opportunities he can exploit. He will have noticed the slower feet, the loading up of punches, and the couple of spots during which Beterbiev appeared dented by Yarde’s work. He will have also seen that Yarde chose to stand and trade with Beterbiev, punching when he punched and never giving him space to build momentum, and will know that this, as a style, is one with which Smith is more than familiar. It comes quite naturally to him, in fact, maybe even in a way it didn’t with Yarde.
Glance at Smith’s 29-1 record, too, and you will find almost as many impressive knockouts, aesthetically anyway, as you will on Beterbiev’s. He actually has two more in his career – 21 to Beterbiev’s 19 – but that still isn’t to say he hits anywhere near as hard as the fearsome Russian. Few do, to be fair. That’s the reality. However, if nothing else, Smith possesses the ability to both wear an opponent down via accumulation and switch off their lights, usually with the left hook, in the blink of an eye.
That alone should guarantee Beterbiev is unable to simply maraud forward and set up his shots, sparing no thought for what comes back at him. Like with Yarde, he will surely have to be more careful than usual on Saturday and pick his moments to attack, which in turn could give Smith the opportunity to grab a foothold in the fight and land something of consequence of his own.
Then again, respect is a two-way thing and it would be remiss not to mention how Smith gave Saul “Canelo” Alvarez far too much respect when they fought in December 2020. That winter night, with plenty beforehand tipping Smith to win, the Liverpudlian didn’t just surrender to Alvarez’s aura and the occasion, but was, in losing widely on points, barely recognisable; reduced to survival mode from the outset and seemingly reluctant to take the necessary risks required to change the course of the fight.
There may have been reasons for this – valid ones, personal ones – but for now all we can assume, by virtue of Smith subsequently moving up in weight, is that he felt his days at 168 pounds were numbered and that he had nothing left. The real test, though, both of his mettle and potential at light-heavyweight, will come against Beterbiev this weekend. Because here, like against Alvarez, Smith will be an underdog, a considerable one, and will be tasked with fighting a man whose reputation precedes him. It will also be taking place in Quebec, where Beterbiev calls “home”, and in a division in which Smith, although successful, has yet to meet anybody remotely world-class.
Callum Smith goes after Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (Ed Mulholland/Matchroom)
Those factors will concern supporters of Smith. They will know that stopping Gilbert Rivera and Mathieu Bauderlique is not good preparation for a fight against Beterbiev and they will know there is a possibility the demons of that Alvarez loss, which was demoralising more so than punishing, could be lingering in the back of Smith’s mind. Yet they will know as well that Smith, at 6’3 and with a 78-inch reach, has long been considered a freak of a super-middleweight – a total outlier – and that most have presumed his best days would eventually come as a light-heavyweight, where he can fill out and feel strong. Not only that, they will have seen the success Yarde had against Beterbiev, when standing with him and punching respect into his body and mind, and taken great confidence from this, aware Smith can fight that way as well as anyone if full of the same kind of confidence.
Whether he will carry this confidence or not is another question; perhaps the greatest of the lot. There is a strong argument to be made that he won’t, based on the Canelo fight and Beterbiev’s fearsome reputation, and there is an argument to also be made that he will but only until he feels Beterbiev’s power and realises why all 19 of his fights have finished inside the distance. In the ring with a lesser man – that is, one who doesn’t hit quite so hard – it would be easy to see how Smith’s style and his own firepower could be enough to neutralise someone in the mould of Beterbiev, his hand speed too much in exchanges and his body work key. However, with power always the last thing to go, and with Beterbiev’s a brand rarely seen, it is tough to imagine anything other than the champion getting to Smith late and forcing a corner retirement somewhere around the 10th round.
Also at the Centre Videotron, there is a WBO bantamweight title fight between Australia’s Jason Moloney, 26-2 (19), and American Saul Sanchez, 20-2 (12). For Sanchez this will be his first stab at world honours, whereas for Moloney this fight represents the first defence of a belt he won in May with a 12-round decision against Vincent Astrolabio.
Further down the bill, at super-middleweight, there is a decent-looking fight between heavy-handed Frenchman Christian Mbilli, 25-0 (21), and Rohan Murdock, 27-2 (19), of Australia. They meet over 10 rounds.
