Callum Smith Is Confident Of A Win Over Artur Beterbiev
Callum Smith is confident he can win over Artur Beterbiev this Saturday.
They face off in a light heavyweight clash as Beterbiev defends his WBO, IBF, and WBC titles. Beterbiev is undefeated with 19 wins, all coming by way of knockout. Smith’s only defeat has come at the hands of Canelo Alvarez, but he has followed that up with wins over Gilbert Castillo Rivera and Mathieu Bauderlique. The Brit has backed himself to come out on top despite the odds against him.
Smith On Beterbiev
“I definitely do believe I will prove all the doubters wrong. I know how good I am, I know how good I can be. Sometimes you don’t really get the opportunity to show that. This time I’ve got the best fight possible for me in this division. And if I win I become a two-weight world champion, three world titles. That’s been the biggest motivation for me these last few camps and I’m very, very close to achieving it,” Smith said
Beterbiev has shown that father time may be catching up with him. The boxer is now 38, and he has shown signs that he is slowing down. In his last fight against Anthony Yarde, he was hit flush numerous times. Although he did not hit the canvas and stopped Yarde, it was more than what boxing fans had been used to seeing.
Beterbiev’s last fight with Yarde was also around a year ago. He is coming off a jaw infection that emerged after he had some dental surgery, which delayed the fight with Smith that was meant to be for August 19, 2023.
That period of injury and inactivity may prove a telling factor, but it is important to note that Smith has not fought since August 2022. Either way, Smith will have to be wary of Beterbiev’s danger, particularly his power.
Beterbiev’s Danger
“He’s a big puncher but nothing in my career so far shows that my chin’s a bit suspect or anything like that. Touch wood, I’ve never been hit or hurt or dropped as a professional. I’ve always been very confident defensively. I believe I’m pretty tidy and I can stay quite tight. I know the dangers. You can’t afford to take any silly shots…When you’re fighting a big puncher it keeps you mentally that little bit switched on, knowing you can’t afford any mistakes at all,” Smith stated
The pressure is all on Beterbiev. Reports indicate that Dmitry Bivol has signed for an undisputed fight to face Beterbiev, provided the Russian beats Smith. But Deontay Wilder’s loss to Joseph Parker showed the dangers of overlooking opponents as the Bronze Bomber’s defeat meant the Anthony Joshua fight was called off. This is despite the fact they had signed a two-fight deal. A win for Beterbiev also gets him a big purse for a fight in Saudi Arabia. But can Smith pull off the upset? Time will tell how it all plays out in the future.
‘Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com’
