Beterbiev Considers Moving Up To Cruiserweight

Artur Beterbiev may move up to cruiserweight if he beats Dmitry Bivol.

Beterbiev puts his WBO, WBC and IBF belts on the line, seeking Bivol’s WBA title to become the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion. Beterbiev is 20-0, with all his wins coming by way of knockout. At 39, Beterbiev is in the latter part of his career.

He stopped Callum Smith in his last fight to set up the Bivol fight. It was meant to go ahead on June 1. But Beterbiev withdrew with a knee injury, and Malik Zinad took his place. Bivol stopped Zinad to take his record to 23-0. The winner becomes the best light heavyweight of this era. If Beterbiev does that, he could go up a weight class. 

Beterbiev Reacts

“We’ll see after. Challenges may be in different categories. Go up [in weight]. I’m not focused on these things,” Beterbiev said 

If Beterbiev moves up, there are several winnable fights. The IBF Cruiserweight Champion Jai Opetaia could be one of those bouts. Opetaia defeated Mairis Briedis in his last fight to win the vacant IBF belt. While he got a unanimous decision win, Opetaia was tested throughout the fight. Opetaia has spoken about wanting to fight Bivol, which the latter has also confirmed. But if Beterbiev comes out victorious, that could be the next best fight. 

The other option is to fight the WBO Cruiserweight Champion, Chris Billam-Smith. Billam-Smith defended his title on two occasions since beating Lawrence Okolie. He was being outboxed by Mateusz Masternak before the latter retired with an injury.

Beterbiev On Bivol

But he did bounce back with a better performance against Richard Riakporhe in his last fight to win a unanimous decision. And yet, Billam-Smith took several right hands during the fight. If Beterbiev landed something similar, it would be tough for Billam-Smith to deal with. Regardless, the main focus was on beating Bivol first. 

” I don’t know [if Bivol will be the toughest fight]. I already had two fights towards undisputed in a unification fight, and the two guys are good too, and we’ll see what happens with this guy. No. No fights are personal. It’s only like I want another belt. I feel like in the boxing gym, when you do a job, I feel like there is space to do better. [And] I always feel like this. I need to do more training on my skills. I will try to be good boxer,” Beterbiev stated

But a loss will leave serious question marks for Beterbiev. Aside from a rematch, there would be nothing else to prove. He has shown an increasing tendency to get injured, which will only impact him negatively. He pulled out of his fight with Smith before it went ahead in January with a jaw infection. Another injury followed, and the June date for the Bivol fight was called off. Although Beterbiev’s knockout power is still there, moving up to cruiserweight is another test, with fighters hitting much harder. 

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