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

Fighters in the present era don't fight enough and do not always fight the best available fighters.

A present era fight might have the talent to be in the top ten but have a really skinny resume compared to the greats of the past.

 

Beterbiev being at a high level damn near 40 has nothing to do with luck. He's not drinking like Kovalev nor living in a state of hubris, calling himself son of jesus lol, like Ward. Beterbiev stayed active and sticks to fundamentals. He's just better than his opponents and usually his technique - not his power - bails him out.

Thats why Son of Jesus ducked him

 

Archie
Charles
Roy
Foster
M Spinks
Conteh
Matthew Muhammad
Eddie Mustafa
Hill
Conn
Charles Williams
Maxim
Tunney
Michalczewski
Tarver

And that's just a quick off the dome for who I definitely think beats him. I could name more, then there's a number of guys that I'd say it's 50/50. He's not top 20 IMO. The LHW division is one of the most historically stacked divisions in history. He's great, for his era, I'm not sure he's even the best between 2005 and now.

 

Good points. Kovalev was his own worst enemy out of the ring.

I have no doubt that shortened his career.

 

Add Tommy Loughren, Langford , and Gene Tunney and probably some others.