Artur Beterbiev Puts Knee To The Test With Cycling Training In Siberian Mountains

Artur Beterbiev is on the road to recovery following recent knee surgery as the unified light-heavyweight world champion was spotted by a fan cycling through the Siberian mountains.

WBC, WBO, and IBF champion Beterbiev (20-0-0 20 KO) was scheduled to fight WBA title holder Dimitry Bivol on June 1 in a highly anticipated undisputed showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, the Russian-born Canadian suffered a ruptured meniscus just weeks before the bout, forcing its postponement until October.

Bivol (23-0-0 12 KO) kept the original date and duly outclassed late replacement Malik Zinad on his way to a sixth-round stoppage – his first knockout victory in almost seven years.

Beterbiev, meanwhile, has been engaged in a rehabilitation program, and the sight of him putting his knee to the test with some gruelling uphill cycling bodes well for his recovery in time for the proposed October 12 bout with Bivol.

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Beterbiev was recognized by a fan as he pedaled hard up the hill, clearly using the cycle as a means of testing and strengthening his knee. The fan duly ran over to the champion and captured the moment on his phone while having a quick conversation as Beterbiev rode past.

There were some concerns about whether October 12 would come too soon for the 39-year-old, with the rearranged bout coming five months after knee surgery. That gives him, realistically, two months to fully recover his knee before entering a 12-week training camp.

When the fight does eventually happen, it promises to be one of the bouts of the year between the two standout stars of the light-heavyweight division.

Beterbiev has proved himself to be one of the most ferocious knockout artists of his generation, stopping all 20 of his opponents, many of them reigning and former world champions.

Bivol, on the other hand, is among the most technically accomplished boxers on the planet, his skill and intelligence guiding him to victory over all 23 of his rivals, including Canelo Alvarez. The clash of styles alone should make for an all-time classic.

Then there’s the stakes involved as the victor becomes the undisputed champion at 175lbs, settling once and for all who is the king of the division. When the fight happens, it will be a long time coming after several past negotiations collapsed due to a lack of appropriate funding.

Thankfully for Beterbiev, Bivol and boxing fans, the arrival of Saudi Arabia on the scene finally got the deal over the line.