Beterbiev vs Smith (Smith by brutal KO)

I don't get it:

Has Callum's power all of sudden magically and proportionately increased and travelled up as he has moved up to 175lbs? It doesn't work that way, otherwise everyone would just do SnC and move up a few divisions. Your power has a ceiling.

How much "bigger and stronger" is he now he doesn't have to cut another 7lbs in weight (ie, he isn't dehydrating himself for another few hours on a Thursday before the weigh-in)?

Didn't he have mega power in sparring when he WASN'T cutting weight? Or was he losing all his mythical power when he was cutting down to 168lbs and only regaining X amount as he rehydrated? That would still make him weaker than the sparring version of himself of a few weeks before the fight. Makes zero sense.

What difference can an extra 7lbs make when he is probably rehydrating to the SAME weight (on fight night) as he was when he was 168lbs? He was coming in at 185-190lbs as a SMW rehydrated and is around the same weight as a LHW now in the ring. His body has a maximum elasticity factor that needs to be considered which people are overlooking.

Furthermore, if he has such vaunted power, why not just skip 175lbs and move up to Cruiserweight instead?
He looks like he could fill it out nicely.
Of course he won't do that because his power won't increase proportionately like all his fanboys are making out to be.

The reality is that Smith is hoping and praying that Beterbiev gets OLD overnight and he can land his counter left hook and get a KO. Every single interview in the run upto the fight, Callum has talked about Beterbiev's age.

"Please God, let him be an old man and let me hit him before he hits me"

Personally, I see Beterbiev having too much ring IQ and will avoid that left hook and be able to reset Smith and probably time him coming in.

He's seen Smith's style many times as an amateur and it's nothing new. Smith is making himself out to be an oracle when we all know fighters revert to type when the pressure comes in.

 

Smith does have that sweet counter left hook .. and isn't Beterbiev almost 40 now? I wouldn't be surprised by an upset.
It will be fun while it lasts, both these guys will be looking for the KO. Smith not going in there to try to survive.

 

Smith has 2 fights at 175 over not spectacular opposition. He could pull an upset due to Beterbiev's age but I wouldn't bet a dime without great odds.

 

This is it,,,,

 

IMHO Beterbiev will retire after his first loss, but it won't be in 2024

 

I did, but what I am saying is that power does not increase magically just because you don't have to dehydrate another 7lbs.

His power is the same as it was at 168lbs,

He's also most likely walking into the ring at the same weight as he was when he was at 168lbs fully hydrated.

BTW: Castillo was getting BATTERED by Beterbiev as a sparring partners YEARS ago. It's just that Team Ramsay had the good grace not to broadcast it at the time while Beterbiev's command of the English language also sucked then too (not that he ever says anything bad even now he is pretty well spoken).

Don't overestimate Smith's power because he beat a shop worn Lenin Castillo and a never-great Bauderlique.

 

I like Smith but I'm picking Beterbiev here.

 

Smith at 175 does seem to have carried up huge one punch power so I can't rule that out

He has to really have a go though or Berba will steamroll him

 

Smith is in for the beating of his life. He has nothing to bother Beterbiev with.

 

Good to have another NZer here. How I see it though: Smith is too fragile IMHO. If he went for it he might have a chance to land big first, but he tends to be cautious and tries to use his length and box.

But as soon as he feels Beterbiev's power, even in a jab or glancing blow, because all Beterbiev's punches are really heavy, he will shell up and eventually get stopped.

 

I think so as well about Beterbiev having a superior ring IQ to Smith. Also, I believe that Beterbiev can continue to be successful at his age, similar to the way that Bernard Hopkins or Floyd Mayweather Jr. were successful when they were older, because of their A+ training and conditioning. We'll see though. Father Time is lurking and he always wins in the end. May the best man win.

 

People overrate British boxers…Smith will fold once he gets hit clean by Beterbiev. Beterbiev would destroy Clenelo, so imagine what he will do to Smith.

 

That would be shocking.