Artur Beterbiev mandatory for Kovalev/Ward winner

Ward is ranked #1 with the IBF but if he wins hes obviously the champion and if he loses than he loses his ranking. Since Beterbiev is ranked #2 does that mean he moves up to number one when Ward wins or loses?

 

Very niiiice. Beterbiev is as reasonable a challenge for either as you're going to find at 175.

 

(outside each other)

(and that includes Stevenson)

 

lol ward is done

 

Good, I wouldn't put Beterbiev as a lock to win either match though. 175 is a good division.

 

That's a hell of a 2-fight stretch. Probably his most daunting ever. (Kessler was followed by a relatively easy night in Green. Abraham was overrated at SMW and was stylistically tailor made for Ward, easy work - so him & Froch doesn't count. Then Ward followed up the Froch victory with a severely drained Chad Dawson.)

 

If he gets by Stevenson, Kovalev, Beterbiev, 3 notoriously deadly hitters, Jesus Christ that Resume will instantly be a top 30 atg resume.

Has there ever been any man who has been through 3 guys like this in the history of the sport? Power wise ofc.

Ward's resume will be through the roof

 

So we'll get Kovalev vs Beterbiev next. That is just great. Even if somehow Ward wins, but that's highly unlikely, he will say Beterbiev fought nobody and ask him to fight Kovalev, like he did with Bute, so either way we'll get Kovalev vs Beterbiev

 

Braehmer first, and then Beterbiev. Nice.

 

Now the only thing is does the IBF force Beterbiev to fight an eliminator for the #1 mandatory spot or if is automatically bumped to #1, how long do they wait to enforce the mandatory on the winner?

 

Jimmy Bivins went the distance with Joe Louis, Archie Moore, and Charley Burley..

 

Would happily watch a round robin tournament with these three

 

Wow!

 

Or single elimination w/ Adonis.