It’s no secret there is a big fight in the works between rival, unbeaten light heavyweight champions Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. The two fighters want it, we fans sure want it, and the powerful Saudi money men are very interested in making the fight, a four-belt unification clash, some time this year. But first, Beterbiev must get past Callum Smith on January 13. Beterbiev is a genuine tank of the ring, unbeaten at 19-0, with no man ever having seen the final bell against him.
Smith, 29-1(21) is a considerable underdog going into the fight that will go down in Canada.
However, two things have to be taken into account as far as the upcoming fight goes: Beterbiev’s age, and Beterbiev’s inactivity. The reigning and defending WBC/IBF/WBO 175 pound champ turns 39 later this month, and the Smith fight, postponed as it was due to Beterbiev suffering an injury, will be Beterbievs first in a full year.
We saw what can happen when a monster puncher returns after a long layoff and fully expects to wipe out the man in front of him, this in the Deontay Wilder-Joseph Parker fight. Now, nobody is saying Beterbiev is Wilder, or that Beterbiev will make the same mistake of looking past his current opponent, his sights set on a massive fight. But rust may well affect Beterbiev when he fights Smith, and age WILL eventually catch up with Beterbiev, as it does will all fighters.
And Smith, at age 33 almost six years the younger man, is saying he will defeat Beterbiev and that he will then fight Bivol in a four-weight-belt showdown.
“I don’t blame people for wanting to see Beterbiev Vs. Bivol. As a boxing fan, that’s a fight that I would like to see. It is a little disrespectful when there are people in boxing posting, and I’m due to fight [Beterbiev] in January,” Smith said to Boxing Social. “I’m confident in my own ability, and I feel I can beat him when I’m at my best. I believe the best version of me beats anyone in the world. In my eyes, it’s me [beating] Beterbiev and then me against Bivol after that. So, I think I can ruin people’s plans.”
Make no mistake, a Smith win would rank as one of the best modern day victories scored by a British fighter. But it could happen. Again, Smith is the underdog, but some people are backing him to win (Eddie Hearn for one).
Could Beterbiev see the wheels come off on January 13? Might Smith be in the right place at the right time? Would Bivol agree to fight Smith if he did upset Beterbiev?
The upcoming light heavyweight fight should prove very interesting.