Artur Beterbiev turns pro earlier, how does his career turn out?

Well, he's for sure in my top 2 favourite fighters in the sport, so I would say an extra 5 years, starting at a younger age in the pro ranks. He'd be undisputed by now, a bigger global star with a few more moster highlight reel KO's.

 

The Bivol fight gets made earlier and he probably fights Adonis, Kovalev, and maybe Ward if he gets himself into the title picture soon enough. He smashes all of them and becomes the LHW GOAT.

 

Would’ve been a very interesting fight against a prime kovalev

 

If Beterbiev turned pro earlier we never hear of Kovalev.

He becomes a PPV star (HBO push)

Becomes an ATG (he is knocking on the door to being one now)

 

Ward would have retired even earlier then!

 

Maybe he'd retire Kovalev, and then he'd knock out Ward and Canelo for the first time and it would be amazing.

 

Pity for Beterbiev because even if he turned pro 5 years earlier he would still not be Undisputed,it takes the big Saudi money from Turki to get Bivol in the ring with Beterbiev and that was not about 5 year ago. One fighter has all the belts bar one,and the one with the other belt had no intention of fighting the other one until the Saudi money came along. Both are seven year Championship belt holders but only one of them has ever fought a Champion from there own division !

 

Kovalev wouldve been Beterbiev coming out party. No version of Kovalev liked body shots and Beter is landing. Chance for Kovy to score an early KD, but Beter boxing ability underrated and he does make adjustments albeit subtle.

Beterbiev via stoppage even versus Kovalev from Pascal fights or Ward 1

 

He would have had more momentum and his rise would have paralleled GGGs in terms of intrigue so there would have been an interest him also at the same time

The unification was also stalled by the Russian-Ukranian war too but go back 5 years and that wouldn't have been an issue.

All hypotheticals though ....

 

I think peak Beterbiev was around the Hot Rod/Gvozdyk fights, so around age 34. Earlier in his career I feel Beterbiev was a bit more vulnerable; he was dropped by Jeff Page for example. If he turned pro early enough to challenge Kovalev in 2015/2016 then I would still heavily favour Kovalev who I feel was operating at a higher level at the time.

 

He would have been 2 weight undisputed champion with 100% KO.

But it's not too late to accomplish that.

Beat Bivol, move up to CW, beat someone with belt and than Turki will make a badass matchup between him and Usyk.

 

I can see Turki dangling the money in front of Usyk

Be hilarious if Beterbiev chins him and walks away as the GOAT