IBF/WBC/WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev made it clear that he views his title defense against WBO mandatory Anthony Yarde as “just work” on January 28th at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs) looked menacing when he stood for the face-off with Yarde (23-2, 22 KOs) at their kick-off press conference for their fight on ESPN+.
After the stare-down, Beterbiev punched the table, which was his way of sending a message to the 31-year-old Yarde and the fans about what they can expect to see on January 28th.
“You don’t know what will happen in the fight. I think he and me will prepare 100% to be ready,” said Beterbiev to Boxing UK, discussing his fight with Yarde on January 28th.
“The next work coming,” Beterbiev said when asked who he wants to fight in the next twelve months after his fight with the 31-year-old Yarde. “When I get pension, I go, but not now. Not close, 5 to 10 years.
“When I was a kid, I liked Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali. Different styles and different powers, but I liked them. All my life since I was a kid, I liked those two boxers.
“I tell them to come watch this fight, it’s going to be a huge fight,” Beterbiev said when asked to give a message to British boxing fans about why they should watch him and Yarde on January 28th.
Arum not worried about Beterbiev
“I’m delighted to be here because I remember being here because I remember when I was much younger, promoting and co-promoting fights for the great English light heavyweight John Conte, who was a terrific battler and a great attraction,” said Bob Arum during the Beterbiev vs. Yarde kick-off press conference.
“I’ve also promoted great light heavyweights like Bob Foster and Jorge Hamada, but I’ve never seen anybody with the power and skills of Artur Beterbiev because Artur is truly special,” Arum continued.
“He is a tremendous puncher, a very good fighter, and takes a very good punch. It will take an unbelievable performance by an opponent to be able to beat him. So I am absolutely thrilled to be here, and I have absolutely no problem with doing this fight in London because knowing Artur, he will shine as he has in all of his professional fights,” said Arum.
“I just watched him early on knocking one guy out after another, and then after we signed him, we put him in with a light heavyweight who was a co-champion, named Oleksandr Gvozdyk, who I thought was absolutely tremendous who nobody could beat and Artur not only beat him but knocked him out.
“After the Gvozdyk fight, I said, ‘This guy is something really special, and the light heavyweight division has never seen anybody like him.'”