And it never gets old. What a fight. And my god what a performance. It's one of those performances that leaves your jaw on the floor. Amazing, incredible, unbelievable performance from Beterbiev.
No dude it was far and away the best win of 2019. The only better performances I've seen from Pac was the first Barrera fight and the Cotto fight. That's Pac's entire career. Pac only has 2 performances on that level IMO. He destroyed Gvozdyk.
Beterbiev is built like an ox and carries thunderous, concussive punching power. A guy w/ his size will never be at a size disadvantage in and below his weight division. Pacquiao gave up 10 years and a significant size advantage to an undefeated and prime Thurman.
It was back and forth and fought on even terms until about round 7, so no, not a "destroying" of anyone.
I cant recall Gvozdyk ever hurting beterbiev. After round 9 Gvozdyk went to his corner and sat on his stool, his body language indicating I've had enough I'm conceding this fight. He then went out into round 10 and took a knee 3 times. His spirit was broken. He left the ring a broken man in spirit.
Yet he got up three times. His spirit isn't broken, sure he lost on the night, but he did well throughout, it wasn't a one sided beatdown until late. Gvozdyk went with the wrong strategy, he was banking on Beterbiev tiring and gassing out late, and he figured he could start sitting down on his shots, put it on him and get him out of there, but sadly, it was the other way around. If they ever rematch, he'll go all out and try to hurt him early, and yes, he has the power to hurt anyone as well. Would that strategy work? Who knows.
Gvozdyk landed a nuke DEAD on Beterbiev's chin from deadly 1-2 or maybe 3 piece. Beterbiev's oegs buckled for a quarter of a second, and then he just rampages forward as usual like nothing happened. It would have knocked out 80% of HW's, and Beterbiev had all his momentum going forward right into it. It really should have been a posterizing highlight reel KO and it would have had it been a lesser fighter/machine. Full extension, stepped into and sat on. Barely registered. That was in the 6th I think, and that was the beginning of the end for Gvozdyk, when he saw that reaction after landing that combo and bomb............ Like almost any other fighter, his spirit broke and was just a shell of himself the remainder of the fight. That said, he did hurt Beterbiev, but only for a quarter of a second. Even when he got hurt he reacted like the terminator.
Beterbiev took Gvozdyk's spirit twice now. Once as amateurs when he had his nose broken. And once in 2019 when he touched the canvas 6 times. 3 of those 6 times were knockdowns. The other 3 were when he was ragdolled by Beterbiev. If they ever crossed paths again, Gvozdyk would give Artur a nod and then look down and pretend he wasn't there.
Beterbiev adjusted well in maybe round 7 or 8 to take away Gvozdyk's jab. Gvozdyk's jab sets up the straight so once the jab was gone Beterbiev could just walk straight in and go bang!
It was crazy watching it live as slowly each round Gvozdyk realized there was no way to stop Beterbievs pressure.. Gvozdyk did a great job imo he using his jab right, had connected on numerous counters, defense wasn’t bad and he landed the shots he that was necessary to win. As you said after the 9th his body language said I’ve had enough.. Beterbiev just wasn’t gonna be stopped that night and he absorbed a lot of big punches but it was like he was getting stronger as the fight progressed despite this. I hate we never got to see prime Krusher Kovalev vs Beterbiev that would have been a great fight imo..
AB is the light heavyweight Gary Russell. Very inactive I hope this whole virus didn't discourage AB. If this knocked him off his tracks hell probably end up fighting in October at his usual pace
