Eddie Hearn sees this Saturday’s fight contest ending badly for unified light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev with him getting knocked out by challenger Callum Smith, leaving him “face down” on the canvas in their headliner on ESPN at the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn paints a bleak picture of the 38-year-old Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) being old and past it, literally on his last leg, and ready to be finished off by the younger, ambitious, belt-hungry challenger Smith (29-1, 21 KOs).
Hearn’s Knockout Vision
Eddie visualizes Beterbiev walking into a left hook counter that folds him on the canvas near the ropes. If the fight plays out as Hearn visualizes in his head, it would please him to no end because he’s resurrected Callum after his loss to Canelo Alvarez.
Smith, 33, has the power to knock out Beterbiev, but we don’t know if he’s got the chin or the courage to risk fighting aggressively in the way he would need to for him to score a stoppage with a single punch.
Beterbiev is about to turn 39 this month, but his power is just the same as it always has been. The only difference in Beterbiev’s game is his hand speed slowing, and not fighting as often as he did earlier in his career.
Questioning Beterbiev’s Durability
“Callum Smith is going to knock Beterbiev spark out,” Eddie Hearn said to the media. “You know, like a face-down knockout. He’s going to be up against the ropes, and Beterbiev is going to come in like he does; he’s going to screw up his feet, and Callum’s going to do what he does best, which is catch-counter with the left hook. One punch knockout.
“Beterbiev is definitely slipping; he’s like 39 years old. But he’s also a beast; he’s unbelievable. I know Beterbiev’s the favorite. I’m not saying he’s not the favorite, but I can see it in my own eyes — this one-punch knockout,” said Hearn.
“It might be Callum Smith against Bivol for all the belts at 175 lbs,” said Gareth A. Davies to talkSPORT Boxing.