Artur Beterbiev has never heard the judges score after a fight. Joe Smith Jr. saw 23 of his 31 fights finished before the final bell. K. -O. should be well served when these two men square off in Madison Square Garden on Saturday to unify three of the four light heavyweight titles.
Posted at 1:10 p.m.
Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) will put his International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Council (WBC) belts on the line against Smith (28-3, 22 KOs) , who will try to add these titles to that of the World Boxing Organization (WBO), which he holds.
The Russian-born Montrealer continues his quest to become the undisputed champion of the division, having been IBF champion since 2017 and WBC champion since 2019.
“It is important for me to be the only champion of the division, he admitted during the press conference Thursday in the center of the legendary New York arena. If there’s only one word to describe how I feel, it’s important. »
Some argue that time is starting to work against him: at 37, Beterbiev is not necessarily a youngster in the group. But he refuses to believe that the weight of the years has begun to affect him.
“I always ask my boxing and conditioning coaches if I’m less able to do it than two years ago,” explained the now Canadian citizen. They tell me no. Now I don’t know if they’re lying to me! »
On the floor, his coach, Marc Ramsay, vigorously nodded no, which made the house announcer laugh, before Smith intervened.
“I think this guy is at his best right now,” the Long Island native said respectfully, a stone’s throw from MSG. I know he will be absolutely ready for this fight.
“I know I’m going to face one of the best, so I trained harder than I usually do,” said Smith, 32. The camp was longer than usual. What I do less well, I made sure to work on. I gave everything in this camp.
“This is a huge opportunity. Beterbiev is a big name in boxing. He holds two belts and I want them. We are two punchers, it should be a spectacular fight. »
The crowd should be overwhelmingly behind Smith, who is fighting back home, so to speak. But it takes more than a hostile mob to intimidate Beterbiev.
Since 2016, Beterbiev has only fought once at home, last December against Marcus Browne. We can add a second “local” fight if we count his confrontation against Adam Deines in Moscow, in March 2021. But Beterbiev and his family have lived in Montreal for 10 years. When he talks about home, he thinks of Montreal.
The hard puncher will not be more intimidated by Madison Square Garden, Mecca of boxing.
“To fight in Madison Square Garden, it’s not that important to me. I only care about the fight,” Beterbiev insisted.
It was said with no disrespect to the venerable arena: Beterbiev is simply unaffected by what happens around the ring. Whether at Madison Square Garden, the Bell Centre, the Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow or the Casino du Lac Leamy, he has only one thing in mind: to win.
But don’t ask him to predict the outcome of his fight. You won’t get anything from him.
“I’m sure it will be a good fight, but I can’t predict the outcome of the fight. I can’t predict the future, I’m just a boxer. »
Smith was a bit more generous.
“We are two great fighters well prepared for this fight and I think we are going to put on quite a show. »
Quebec boxing fans will be able to follow the end of the gala from 10 p.m. on the airwaves of the Réseau des Sports. They might not have to stay up very late.