Artur Beterbiev has the chance to become undisputed light-heavyweight champion this weekend when he faces Dmitry Bivol, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View .
The unified ruler is looking to add a further belt to his impressive collection, and a win over Bivol will cement his legacy as one of boxing’s finest ever light-heavyweight fighters.
On his climb to the top, Beterbiev has combined relentless pressure with his incredible power scoring 20 straight stoppages from as many fights.
As part of our fantasy fight series, DAZN now looks at how the brilliant Beterbiev would cope against another great fighter who campaigned at 175lbs, Wales’ Joe Calzaghe.
Keep reading for our official verdict on what would go down between Beterbiev and Calzaghe.
Artur Beterbiev
(Getty Images)
Emerging from the 2012 Olympics without the profile of Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk, Artur Beterbiev, an incredible amateur, based himself in Canada in pursuit of professional glory.
Fast-tracked to the top, Beterbiev made an early impact when he defeated former world champion, Tavoris Cloud, in only his sixth fight taking just two rounds to destroy the American.
Six fights later, Beterbiev was world champion as he stopped Enrico Kolling in 2017, and the hard-hitting monster hasn't looked back since become IBF beltholder.
Further unifications against Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Joe Smith allowed Beterbiev to hold three world titles, and he’s retained those titles with one-sided wins over British pair, Anthony Yarde, and Callum Smith.
Guided by Top Rank, Beterbiev is now getting the exposure his incredible talents deserve, but there’s more to the man than just power despite his menacing stoppage streak.
An outstanding amateur, Beterbiev showed the skill to defeat many elite performers including a win over Oleksandr Usyk when the pair where both unpaid fighters.
Possessing destructive artillery in both hands, Beterbiev has shown plenty of other qualities to get into the position to land those shots including a brilliant jab and superb footwork.
A master at cutting off the ring, Beterbiev can reduce space in an effortless manner, and when his opponents are up against the ropes, it’s a bad place to be.
Some fighters have had success against Beterbiev, most notably Callum Johnson and Yarde, but even they found out that having moments of joy doesn’t last when the pressure keeps on coming.
More than just a puncher, Beterbiev’s career will have been a prosperous one without his power, but those heavy hands have allowed him to get to a level only a small percentage reach.
Beterbiev vs. Bivol fight card |
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Joe Calzaghe
John Gichigi/Getty Images
One of Britain’s best ever boxers, Joe Calzaghe was a multiple amateur champion before making his debut on the epic Lennox Lewis vs. Frank Bruno show in 1993.
A win over Chris Eubank brought Calzaghe his first world title in 1997, and opting to defend his belt primarily on home soil, Calzaghe was unable to deliver a marquee win that his talent deserved.
That all changed in 2006 when Calzaghe went on the best run of his career thanks to numerous brilliant wins over feared and respected opposition.
Against Jeff Lacy, Calzaghe was a significant underdog, but he paid no attention to the oddsmakers as he delivered arguably the performance of his career with a 12 round domination to win the IBF belt.
Further victories against Peter Manfredo and Mikkel Kessler boosted Calzaghe’s profile, before he moved to 175lbs in an attempt to crack America.
Calzaghe had to climb off the floor to beat Bernard Hopkins and a faded Roy Jones Jr, and after reaching 46-0 in the professional code, his time in boxing was done as he walked away in 2008.
One of the best engines of the modern era, Calzaghe, trained by his father, relied on his output and stamina in the majority of his world title fights.
Fighting out of a southpaw stance, Calzaghe wasn’t afraid to let his hands go, and his busy style was often enough to overwhelm high class opponents.
As Calzaghe moved up in level, his style sometimes had flaws exposed as he was dropped several times in the latter stages of his career, but he did show incredible resolve to always climb off the floor to win.
His run from 2006 to his retirement two years later provided the best memories as his initial run as WBO champion sometimes brough criticism for soft defences.
The Fight – Beterbiev vs. Calzaghe
Coming into the fight with advantages in speed and stamina, Calzaghe sets a fast pace from the outset as his southpaw jab annoys Beterbiev who is biding his time with educated pressure.
Calzaghe takes the first four rounds, but Beterbiev is getting through with the occasional jab and his body work is slowing Calzaghe down ever so slightly.
Running out of steam after facing the biggest test of his career, Calzaghe’s output that served him so well at 168lbs is beginning to drop dramatically and there’s big smiles in the corner of Beterbiev who can feel the fight turning in their man’s favour.
Calzaghe, now standing and throwing fast combinations, is unable to move with the swift frequency that demonstrated in the fight’s first half.
He’s ahead on the scorecards but the signs don’t look good as he continues to eat big shots with his face starting to redden at an alarming rate.
At the start of the ninth, a barrage of punches from Beterbiev floors Calzaghe, and although he’s quickly back to his feet, another assault forces the referee to jump in.
Beterbiev proves his dominance at 175lbs whilst Calzaghe is applauded for daring to be great in a new weight class.
Watch Beterbiev vs. Bivol and huge undercard on DAZN
Watch Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol and the full fight card on October 12 on DAZN Pay-Per-View, which includes Fabio Wardley, Frazer Clark, Chris Eubank Jr, Jai Opetaia, Ben Whittaker and Skye Nicolson all fighting.
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