Eddie Hearn And Tony Bellew Back Callum Smith To Stop Artur Beterbiev

Eddie Hearn has backed Callum Smith to stop the unified light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev. 

The two fighters will meet on August 19th, 2023, at the Centre Videotron, Quebec City as Beterbiev defends his IBF, WBC & WBO titles.

Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) is undefeated with a hundred percent knockout rate even if he is entering into the latter stages of his career at the age of 38.

Meanwhile, Smith arrives as a mandatory on good form. Since his unanimous-decision defeat to Canelo Alvarez in 2019, Smith has stopped Gilbert Castillo Rivera and Mathieu Bauderlique in impressive style. 

And given Beterbiev’s age and last performance against Anthony Yarde where the Russian was caught even with his stoppage victory, Hearn has backed his fighter to come up trumps.

“Callum Smith is going to knock Beterbiev spark out. You know, like a face-down type of knockout? Watch. See this now.

“Sometimes you see it, and he’s [Callum Smith] is going to be up against the ropes, and Beterbiev is going to come in like he does and square up his feet, and Callum is going to do what he does best, which is to catch-counter with the left hook with a one-punch knockout.

“He’s definitely slipping. He’s like 39 years old, but he’s also a beast. He’s unbelievable. Sooner or later [he’s going to get beat],” Hearn

Those comments have been backed up by former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew. The Brit’s comments were on the basis that Beterbiev may leave himself open to counters.

This was seen during the Russian’s last fight against Yarde, even if he did stop the British star, as the latter did land some sharp counters.

With that being said, this is what Bellew had to say.

“Styles make fights and people are all gonna shoot me down here but I’m gonna say it anyway! Callum Smith knocks Beterbiev out within 6 rounds! He’s too open and too easy to hit! I’ve said he’s vulnerable and it’ll show when he fights Callum.

“I think he beats anyone who’s gonna stand in front of him and try and just trade! The fighter to beat him will either be a spiteful counterpuncher who likes to catch and counter (ie Callum Smith) or a brilliant technician with great footwork like (Bivol)

“He’s [tailor] made for Callum Smith in my honest opinion… I don’t know why I’m so confident in this I just see such a perfect clash and Callum’s catch and counter style doing Beterbiev and doing it quickly as well. Time will tell,” Bellew

Victory for Smith would put him in line to face Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed titles, as the latter holds the WBA belt.

Bivol has become frustrated with the WBC’s stance on preventing Russian fighters from fighting for the belt due to the country’s approach to the Ukrainian conflict. 

Although the WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has stated that Bivol could apply for an exemption that could potentially allow the WBC to alter its mind, such a process may be timely. 

“He (Bivol) knows our position, he knows what he needed to do in the past and what he needs to do now. If he has a situation against our sanctioning body, the process is simple.

“He needs to get a petition like Beterbiev did. (Beterbiev) proved that he has lived in Canada for 15 years, that he has a Canadian residence, that his kids are Canadian, that he has a Canadian passport, and a Canadian boxing license,” Sulaiman

But given that both fighters are promoted under Matchroom Boxing, Hearn has targeted that fight next if all goes to plan.

“It would be an in-house fight between Bivol & Smith and easy to make,” Hearn

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