Is Beterbiev top 5 all time LHW with a win over Bivol?

He would have a case, yes.

 

He's going to have a job beating Bivol at his age

 

Top wins would then be Bivol, Gvozdyk, Callum Smith, Joe Smith, Yarde, Browne and Cloud. Something like that.

Very thin for a top 5 spot honestly, so you'd have to lean on dominance. Would probably require a KO of Bivol.

 

For me, no. But it could be arguable with the win over Bivol. I think his resume is very thin since Cloud retired after and was already done. Yarde and Joe Smith are pretty bad competition at the world title level. That leaves Smith who already had the daylights scared out of him by Canelo and Gvozdyk which is a high quality win. And Bivol which would be the best win possible for this era at this moment. 21 fights doesn't scream all time great to me, though. His record also has about an average amount of filler, with about 10-11 of those fights being not important at all

 

He looked like a young man last night, though. Good spring in his legs and his reflexes were sharp.

He looked five years younger than he did against Yarde, so the year off seems to have done him good.

 

Bob Foster never lost a fight contested at LHW. His 14-0-1 record in lineal LHW fights is the best in the division's history. That said, I rank him #7 @ LHW all time as he lacks a signature win(s) relative to those I rank above him.

Difficult to say with AB, if he beats Bivol conclusively, he enters discussions for the top 10, imo.

I think its immaterial though. AB looks immense against fighters who come to him (J. Smith) or who hold their feet against him (C.Smith), but as I usually do at the very highest of elite levels, I pick the fighter with the better feet, which is Bivol.

 

If Beterbiev beats Bivol then there is nothing more he could achieve at LHW,absolutely nothing. So far he has stopped every opponent,picked up all the World Belts and is still unbeaten. If Beterbiev beats Bivol then that also makes him Undisputed Champion and he more than likely retires with a perfect record.Bivol is a silky smooth wonderful boxer and more than likely Beterbievs hardest fight,however the one thing lacking with Bivol is power,without power Beterbiev will just keep walking him down and in all honesty wins by a come from behind stoppage. Beterbiev does not mind taking shots,sometimes even positioning himself so the opponent can unload on him just so he can get his shots off. If Beterbiev beats Bivol to go Undisputed Champion then he is certainly worthy of mention in a top 5 ATG list .

 

I don’t think it’s very possible for a modern fighter to reach the top 5 in any original weight class.

 

No.

 

If the resume is thin he cannot be blamed because he isn't responsible for who is available at the time.

If he KOs everyone then you have to measure the manner of his victories and knocking people out is a pretty good way of underlining your credentials

 

No. His opposition is crap. He has never fought a good slick fighter.

 

Well, Beter is 20 for 20 so far...

 

Maybe top 10? The Light Heavyweight division is pretty stacked

 

Who would you have above him at LHW?
Name those good slick LHWs that he should have beat please.

Which good slick LHWs of the last 50 years did the guys you rate above Beterbiev(in the case he beats Bivol) beat?