Could anyone from 168 in recent past be able to last the full distance or beat beterbiev?

Ward probably only when helped by referee and judges, so that makes it very possible in his case.
Calzaghe might eek out a close decision by outslapping and surviving.
A fully geared up Roy Jones, if he managed to survive or land something big.
A spoiling "crafty" B-Hop in his late 30's might have a good shot.
Mid to late 30's James Toney on one of his better days might have outboxed and maybe even stopped him.
Kovalev might have outboxed him when he was prime.
I guess a couple more with very good chins and movement would be able to beat him too.

Nobody is unbeatable, and Beterbiev certainly isn't. But he also would be able to knock every one of these guys out.

 

Bivol can make 168. He could probably have Beterbiev chasing smoke all night.

 

Ward

 

They have already sparred together.....

There is a reason why Bivol says that Beterbiev is the toughest fighter in the world. He got his *ss beat in sparring with 18oz gloves.

 

I think it depends what we call resent but I would favour a few of the 168lbers
Hype goes crazy for some on this forum.
What is Beterbievs 3 best wins in your opinions?
Consider how Eubank went up to CW and took on a bigger puncher at a heavier weight and was very competitive.

 

Sparring stories might as well be urban myths as far as I'm concerned. Bivol is the exact kind of hit and run artist to disarm Beterbiev. Could he get chinned in the process? Yeah, probably. Beterbiev is basically a cruiserweight. Asking if a 168 pounder can beat him is a favorable premise to begin with. He's a fun action fighter, but honestly he spent most of his career getting in mindless wars with middling opposition. He's 35 already. I fully expect the end of his short reign to be rather anticlimactic for so rabid a fanbase.

 

Froch
Ward
Kessler (cut depending)
Collins
Eubank snr
Calzaghe
Hopkins
Ottke
Toney

not saying all would, but certainly some of the names listed would take him 12, potentially beat him

 

eubank could take a thrashing indeed

 

Pascal is a possibility

 

This Pascal?

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Hopkins until about 2011 could go 12 possibly win. Beterbiev is a good style matchup for him. He had trouble with kovalev and Dawson's length and mobility, making him have to work more than he wanted to at his age.

 

Sure why not

 

From the last few years, Ward, Froch and Kessler all beat him. Hell even a guy like Andre Dirrell would probably get on his bike, frustrate and beat him on points.

That class of SMWs>>> this class of LHWs

 

Every LHW in the world is too weak to handle him. But fighters from a lower weight class could? Ward obviously has the best chance, but would probably get stopped in the championship rounds.