Beterbiev Has No Plans Of Retiring Anytime Soon
Artur Beterbiev still plans on having many years in the sport.
The current unified lightweight champion faced Callum Smith as he defended his IBF, WBC and WBO belts. He stopped the Brit in a masterful performance in a seventh-round stoppage. He will turn 39 this month, with the undisputed light heavyweight championship fight lined up against Dmitry Bivol. Both fighters have reportedly signed on the dotted line with the chance to become the best of their era.
This has naturally raised question marks over where Beterbiev goes next if he beats Bivol. He could retire undefeated and be known as one of the best knockout artists ever. That would secure his position in the Hall of Fame and cap off a career that made him one of boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighters.
This led to suggestions that he may target Bernard Hopkins’ record of being the oldest champion in the weight class. Hopkins held the IBF and WBA titles at 49. Beterbiev has dismissed chasing that record, but he does see his future in the sport for some years.
Beterbiev’s Aims
“I don’t want to beat the record of Hopkins. I think he was a champion when he was 49. [And] I don’t want to beat his record, but three, four, five years, I think I’m good,” Beterbiev said
One of the factors that could change all that is his body. Beterbiev has had knee, rib, and shoulder injuries that have kept him out of the sport. Since he fights out of the 175-pound division, he risks putting his body through the wars, which will catch up with any fighter later.
His fight with Callum Smith also suffered some setbacks. He was on course to fight Smith in August, only for the fight to be pulled after Beterbiev’s jaw infection. Despite those setbacks, Beterbiev was still hopeful of having a long career.
Beterbiev’s Career
“You know, it’s life. During my boxing career, my life is going, too. They go together. I need to take everything like it’s my road, you know? Of course, I want more fights, I want to be more active. But it’s like this. I can’t do nothing [about it]. It’s not on purpose, it [just] happened like this,” Beterbiev said
However, the boxer is now facing question marks over his wins. In the build-up to the Smith fight, Beterbiev’s VADA samples on his blood and urine showed human growth hormone and 5D-androstanediol.
The findings were labelled ‘atypical’ but not a positive test since these substances can grow naturally in the body. Further testing on Beterbiev came back all negative. Despite this being the case, Eddie Hearn demanded more clarification from VADA. In the meantime, Beterbiev only sees himself getting better.
“If it’s going like this, I’ll continue, no problem, because I have health. I always ask my coach, because I have a conditioning coach and I have a boxing coach – when I do sparring or do some exercises with the conditioning coach, I ask them how it was, if it was like five years ago? Better now or that time was better? They tell me you’re better now than that time,” Beterbiev stated
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