Power is power. Talent increases as you go up the rankings. Beterbiev (Better Believe as I now call him) has shown he is a level or two above the Campillos and Johnson. Kovalev is too experienced at this point but that bridge can be gapped with regular quality sparring. Artur is going to be observing Ramadan now so he wont be in the ring again till September ish now.
Guy's a ****ing beast...Eager to see him against another big puncher! A good step-up and a great fan-fight would be against Edwin Rodriguez!
I saw an aweful lot of spurts that appeared he cant throw when he's being thrown at. Not a good trait when guys like Kovalev and Stevenson are almost always throwing something. :think
I think the criticism is a little hard on Berterbiev, there's no denying he didn't look his best tonight, but it was always going to be hard to look good against a awkward southpaw who's goal was to survive & spoil, especially when he had been training for a completely different style in Ngumbu. So I wouldn't read to much into tha performance, but it has to be said at times he seems to load up to much on his punchers an just looks for that one big shot an has a tendency to get frustrated & outbxed which is what Usk done in the amateurs. But his power & timing is unbelivable, an his ability to cut off the ring. Him vs Kovalev will be something to behold.
He's not ready for Kovalev yet. He has the power to knock Wilder out right now though........................if Sconiers can knock Wilder down with a jab, then, well, no wonder Wilder is afraid to fight a good fighter. Wilder has refused to fight Vlad, but Vlad flattened him with a left hook and a jab, beat him from one side of the ring to the other.............Wach would knock Wilder out......................not to mention Parker, Joshua, etc.
Prior to tonight, Johnson had never been stopped before. Both of his previous losses were by decision.