If Beterbiev knocks out Bivol and retires, where would you rank him on LHW alltime?

Top 10

 

Somewhere below Bob Foster.

 

Beterbiev is luckier than Kovalev in the sense that he had better opposition to fight while he was still at a high level. If he wins he’s up there forsure.

 

With Beterbirvs amateur record also taken into account and the fact he would have stopped every opponent he has faced he has to be in with a shout for top 5 imo .

 

He doesn't have the number of fights or the resume to get near the top 10. He's only had 20 fights and what's his beat win Gvozdyk? ,
Yarde ,Callum Smith? Sadly had he began earlier he may well have gotten into the top 10 , maybe easily, but simply based on what he's actually done no.

 

He'd be higher than Foster who's resume at Light Heavyweight is not that great in all honesty outside of beating D*ck Tiger who is rated more as a Middleweight.

Bivol is far better than any Light Heavyweight Foster beat in his title reign. Foster reigned in a weak era and I think he was quite fortunate to miss out on when Light Heavyweight division became really strong in late 70s and early 80s.

I think Foster is overrated in all honesty people rate him as a top 5 Light Heavyweight of all time I don't see it personally.

 

Who do you guys think beats Beterviev from the past?

He currently looks like the most undefeatable fighter at this weight I've ever seen. If he crushes Bivol it'll cement this even more. Especially considering his current age.

 

Ones that would have a good chance of winning ?

Michael Moorer
Michael Spinks
Dwight Muhammad Qawi
Ezzard Charles
Archie Moore

 

If Beterbiev knocks out Bivol as well, he will be ranked lower in ATG than H2H anyway.
He could use another win in an ATG sense if Canelo tries a third trip to LHW (Kovalev and Bivol), but it wouldn't prove much (or even anything) in a H2H sense.

 

Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Michael Spinks, Bob Foster. They probably have the best chance. But it wouldn't be easy for either them or Beterbiev.

 

Forgot about Qawi and Moorer.

 

Top 5 or possibly even 3

 

I'd like to see more fights on his record. 20 bouts and you're an ATG? I understand the amateur, USSR issue but still...

Anyway, Foster, Moore beat him. Spinks, possibly. Qawi always has a punchers chance, while Charles does not.
What about Roy Jones, Adamek, Dick Tiger, Thomas Hearns? Bob Fitzsimmons? Surely they should be in the conversation.

 

Top 20.

LHWs been around for a long time and for much of that time the best LHWs were competing at HW and fought so often that splitting time between both divisions still leaves them with a longer career than Beterbiev by several times over. People pretend Spinks was the first LHW champ to win the HW belt but there were nearly 10 LHW champs who won some sort of world title at HW. And theres some challengers like Ezzard Charles too who won the HW belt. Its hard to elevate fighters from the CW era above earlier generations who had success at HW. Even in the 21st century you've got the RJJ era which was more respected than this one. Beterbievs dominance will backfire into making people think the era was weak. And to a point they are right CW has never been taking more of the bigger LHWs then they are right now.

If Beterbiev retires undefeated so did Calzaghe and Ward(not saying they are better then him making a point about that acheivement) who fought longer. Right now Beterbiev is 39 and has fought less than 100 rounds and will probably retire well south of 200. His 0 if he keeps it will be attributed to him having a short career. Someone like Archie Moore fought almost 1500 rounds. If Beterbiev was bigger we could maybe say he'd beat most LHW legends because modern fighters are bigger but hes small enough where we can't even give him that. Its just hard to find a reason to elevate him above other greats. Not to say he couldn't beat any given LHW great theres just no reason to elevate him above them.

Most of us expect Beterbiev to beat Bivol and already consider Beterbiev the best LHW of this era. I don't think that helps him historically it just solidifies his status much like an Usyk win over Fury at HW. As this sport gets deeper into its 2nd century getting to the top of original division ATG lists is going to get increasingly harder and being the clear best of your era isn't going to automatically land you into the top 10. There was a time when it usually did but that time has passed. The 10th best fighter(whoever you consider it to be) of all time at a weight class has never been better.