Last weekend in Fresno, Artur Beterbiev (12-0, 12 KOs) claimed the vacant IBF light heavyweight title with a twelfth round stoppage of Enrico Koelling of Germany. The belt became vacant after Andre Ward announced his retirement from the sport a few months ago. Now Beterbiev is ready to pick up the ball and wants to unify the entire 175-pound weight class. "I am ready to face anyone," confirmed Beterbiev to the Montreal Journal. "If we're heading to a unification, I have no preference between Bivol Dmitry, Sergey Kovalev or Adonis Stevenson. My goal is to unify all the titles." There is old beef with Kovalev that needs settling. The two fighters collided twice in the amateurs in the Russian boxing system. Beterbiev claimed victory in both bouts, but Kovalev claims he was robbed in both fights by corrupt judges. "I will not go into a verbal war in the public square with him to get his attention," said Beterbiev. "He talks a lot, but this isn't my style. I have no hatred towards him. I respect him as an athlete for what he has done, but I can't evaluate him as a person." Their fight could move a step closer next Saturday night in New York, when Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) fights Vyacheslav Shabranskyy for the vacant WBO light heavyweight title. A Kovalev victory would set the stage for a unification. Kovalev is heavily favored to win the fight. However, Beterbiev's adviser Al Haymon and Kovalev's promoter Kathy Duva have rarely done business together, especially not since the fiasco in trying to make a fight between Kovalev and current WBC champion Adonis Stevenson. "I wonder if Haymon would be a problem," admitted Duva to 98.5 Sports. "He certainly did everything four years to prevent the fight between Sergey and Stevenson. But I'm always open to negotiate a fair deal." "[Kovalev] told me yesterday that he would love to finally fight Artur. And he can't wait to do. We're hoping to reach an agreement. In the meantime, he must of course do the job on November 25 and get his hands on the WBO belt."
Here's hoping boxing politics doesnt stop this fight from happening next year. Artur called him out, I'm sure Sergey will do the same, Duva & Haymon...make it happen !!
Awesome simply fantastic, as a fan of the sport this would be a superb treat. I’m certain some folks would disagree since this type of fight would leave one of the Kings guard gravely wounded and unfit to participate in the “Great War”
Lmao just stirring the pot for all the xenophobic ethnocentric drifters that haunt this site. Some I can tolerate and even have constructive disagreements with others are pure meat heads who’ve allowed their minds to be poisoned and irreversibly compromised.
Lol I can see you love long useless "debates" that go absolutely nowhere. Whatever floats your boat man And there are bad apples on each side, but IMO its better to ignore than to initiate in conversation with such posters
I have no qualms admitting you’re probably right I guess I’m “committed to the pot” once I’ve generated enough equity.
Adonis Chickenson will not fight anyone! He will just sit on the title until he is 70 years old! He does not have to defend it at all.................and he never fight against a legit fighter! I want to see Beterbiev fight Chickenson! Kovalev has never lost a fight, he beat SOB two times, the first time by decision and the second time by disqualification! This is a proven fact! This content is protected
