Really looking forward to this one, I think Joe can cause the upset. How do you lot think it's going to go?
Early hours - 2am onwards - on Sunday morning. Beterbiev wins around the 8th Round. Excited for this fight. Should be a proper knucklefest!
Smith is too basic to avoid the Beterbiev jab and avoid taking serious prolonged punishment. Beterbiev wears him down and stops him late. I would not be surprised if Smith drops Beterbiev at some point. But I dont think he hurts Beterbiev enough to close the show.
Can’t see past Beterbiev smashing him up with Smith giving it a good go. Smith is a massive overachiever in my eyes, very limited talent wise but good power and a solid work rate has put him up with the top of division. Good on him for getting big fights and titles.
Beterbiev is one of my favourite fighters, so I am a bit biased here but still.. He is going to give Joe Smith Jnr a real beating, and stop him round 7-8. Beterbiev is one of the very few, possibly only current top fighters who has that aura around him. You can just picture him walking into a bar and smashing everyone inside it to bits. He's a dangerous man. I remember watching a few bits and pieces around the time of the Callum Johnson fight, watching him spar and train he just seems to have a certain intensity about him, it's not forced or fake. I know he's 37, which is far from ideal, but he has so few miles on the clock and since he doesn't drink and trains all year round he has certainly maximized his potential. The key thing with Beterbiev though is his boxing ability! That's what really get's overlooked. He was a vastly experienced amateur, and his footwork and timing are excellent. He showed that beyond any doubt in the Gvozdyk fight. He also is not your typical come forward power puncher- he can work a jab and move if he must, and throws shots from awkward angles. On the inside, he is able to generate phenomenal power with short clubbing shots despite having next to no leverage. Joe Smith Jnr has a nice backstory, and is strong and very game but he is also so crude. I think he does not have even 20% of Beterbiev ability. He just has his physical credentials. He didn't really impress me in the Vlasov fight, carries some power but is very open and the fundamentals are not that great. I think someone like Yarde or Buatsi would be a 50%-50% vs Joe Smith Jnr. whilst they would be underdogs against Beterbiev.
Smith has a punchers chance for sure, if he can jump on Beterbiev early on and land something big then who knows? I see this going the same way as the Johnson fight with smith having success early on probably dropping Arthur only to get caught later on in the fight and stopped. I like Johnson’s offence and aggression but at the same time leaves himself wide open. Also, Beterbiev needs to grow old at some point, could it be now? Maybe
Think beterbiev may stop him earlier than alot think be surprised see it go by 4 or 5 rounds. Should be a good scrap. If your Smith do you just go all out for a shootout try stop him in first 3 ir probably be knocked out in 3. Is that smiths best chance
Got a feeling Beterbiev is a walking KO waiting to happen quite soon but don’t think it’ll happen here.