He's only 38, not yet old enough for the Bivol team. He's not doing anything right now, but training and waiting for a night. **** it, give him a fight.
Just yesterday Beterbiev was saying that he vs Bivol was in talks in June. **** I hope Beterbiev beats the **** out of Smith and makes him quit. Just how many British ****s both Bivol and Beterbiev have to beat to face each other ?
Vacate the belt and fight Bivol, that's the only fight to be made right now at 175. Nobody cares about the WBC, You think anyone would consider a paper champion of the WBC as the best 175 pounder over the winner of Bivol and Beterbiev?
No surprises there then,Hearns lobbying and discreet envelopes have paid off to stop the Undisputed once more .
Stylistically this seems like a good fight but it's also another obstacle for Beterbiev to go through before we can finally see him against Bivol. Seems like they really want to make sure Beterbiev is older and battle torn enough before putting him in with Bivol.
These guys go on wars for small amounts like $500K, whereas guys like Fury get $ 50M per fight and empose splits like 70/30, 80/20 to their opponents... Not fair.
It’s not a bad fight, but fighting 3 punchers in a row at this age is really putting the Bivol fight at risk.
I don't expect the Bivol fight to happen until next year at the earliest - there's far too many obstacles for both camps to navigate past. I've said this since the Yarde fight where Smiff was ALREADY being brought up. And on top of that expected this announcement when Smiff's fight was pulled recently I think Beterbiev should take this and smash him. The activity might do him some good. I have no idea where the 175 Smiff hype is coming from (besides the usual suspects: Hearn, Bellend etc.). The IBF don't even have a #1 contender I don't think, but Beterbiev would make short work of Pascal at his age surely... No idea what's happening with Bivol this year either. In fact I think he's in a dangerous position where he could be sitting out for ages unless he fights some plumber in Russia. I think Eddie is pushing this ''light heavyweight semi-finals'' thing between Beterbiev/Smiff and Bivol/Canelo, which is such a brazen highjacking of the title picture I've got to simply laugh
And unlike GGG with Lara, Beterbiev wont vacate his title to duck a fighter that has a chance of beating him. Credit to Beterbiev for taking this fight against a dangerous puncher like Smith.
