Russian Olympian Arthur Beterbiev signs with GYM (groupe Yvon Michiel)

He's a beast, physically very strong, rugged and durable and he's got an A-bomb for a right hand. I'm sure he'll probably turn pro up at cruiser or heavy but he was absolutely fearsome down at light heavyweight, although I still think he has the raw power and durability to do very well at the higher weights in the pros. He won the European championships on a couple of occasions and also bagged a silver and a gold at the world amateur championships too, but was robbed blind against the Chinese representative at the Beijing Olympics who subsequently went on to win the gold medal. He stopped a pretty high percentage of his opponents in the fights of his I've seen and I can't recall seeing many others where he wasn't able to hurt or floor his opponents at some stage either.

Check out this vicious right hand at 7:41 mark.

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I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that, he's much more effective down at that weight than he was up at heavy, although he was still pretty formidable at that weight too. I never really understood the reasoning behind having him box up at heavy and Mekhontsev down at light heavy, Mekhontsev is obviously brilliant at light heavy but he was also excellent at heavy too, as his medal haul attests, but Beterbiev was so much better at his usual weight than he was a division north that it just seemed crazy to switch them up.

I totally agree about Beterbiev being a monster light heavyweight in the pros, his style is obviously very pro orientated as it is and that power of his going to have the whole division quaking in their boots if he is still strong at the weight and can replicate the fearsome punching form he displayed down there in the amateurs.

My only concern with him, other than him not having difficulties making weight, would be with regards to his stamina, as it is with all amateurs when making the transition over to the pros, but other than that I'll be very surprised if he doesn't do very well.

Mekhontsev would make an absolutely terrific pro as well. Hopefully we get to see him join the professional ranks soon too.

 

That's the first word that springs to mind when I think of him too. lol

 

Yeah, Mekhontsev is excellent and I have no doubts he'd do exceptionally well in the pros. Can't believe that about his weight though, that just makes his achievements up at heavy all the more impressive. I wonder what weight Beterbiev was when he was fighting at heavy then, he definitely looked heavier than that to me.

I know the chances of this happening are probably very slim indeed, but sometime in the next couple of years we could see Beterbiev, Kovalev, Damien Hooper (who's making his pro debut in a couple of weeks) Mekhontsev and Gvozdyk (if they both decide to turn that is), and possibly even Sillakh, if his move up to cruiser isn't permanent, all competing at 175 at the same time. That would be an absolutely insane level of talent to have competing in the same division lol.