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ARTUR BETERBIEV is the only World Champion with a 100% KO rate.
The 18-0 Russian, who now lives in Montreal, Canada, has emerged as one of the best punchers in boxing during a career that spanned 10 years, winning IBF, WBC and WBO titles at £175. has appeared.
He will put them all in line on January 28 at Wembley Arena in London when he takes on mandatory WBO strap challenger Britt Anthony Yard. Beterbiev is a big favorite and the oddsmakers think another early exit from the champion is likely.
But if it ends 19-0 (19), Beterbiev says the final shot won’t bring him happiness.
“In this moment you close your emotions,” the 37-year-old explains.
“We both made a deal to fight. He’s trying to hit me as hard as he can and I’m doing the same. I have no feelings.
“I just hope he’s okay after the fight. Do I enjoy knocking people out? No, no joy. I hope everything goes well.”
“I just want to do good boxing, not punch people.”
In fact, Beterbiev joked that one day people might come to trust him with something other than a very hard punch.
“I’m 1000% sure the secret to my power is somewhere in the boxing gym, but I don’t know exactly where,” he adds.
“I don’t know which exercise or bag taught me this secret. I don’t know where it came from. I didn’t always do it either, because I work every day.
“But my real dream is to become a good boxer someday.”
Another key goal for the 2009 World Amateur Champion is to hold all four belts at light heavyweight. This could mean his current WBA title incumbent, compatriot Dimitri, agreeing to his long-awaited showdown with Bivol.
“We need Vivor,” admits Beterbiev. “I prefer to fight Vivol because he has the one thing I need.
“Hopefully I can fight him in 2023, but the holdup is from their side, not mine. For the last three years he always said he would fight me next. , this time we had a unification fight with Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Joe Smith, he was just talking about it whereas we did it.
“We were on the national team together as amateurs. I knew him then, but he’s younger than me. We haven’t spoken in 10 years. It was too small for me. We were never friends.”
For now, though, Beterbiev must focus on a yardage challenge that has been trailing in the wake of a three-game winning streak since losing to Lyndon Arthur by split decision in December 2012.
The Londoner’s victory will be one of the biggest upsets for the British boxer in decades, but his opponents insist he’s not taking the challenge lightly. there is
“I don’t know much about him,” Beterbiev says of Yard. “We have seen some of his fights. He is a good fighter, he has a lot of professional experience and he is also a boxer. I have.
“What drives me is, first of all, I have three belts and I have to protect them. I just can’t let them go. Try to be 100% ready and fight them to see who is better. and that they must be protected, that’s all.”
By the way, this fight brings Beterbiev back to the city where he last tasted defeat: his elimination from the 2012 London Olympics at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk. Yards promoter Frank Warren signed a deal to gain his home advantage, but Beterbiev has no problem traveling to defend his title.
He said: “I know you would have liked to fight in America or Montreal, but there is no big problem with going to London for a fight. It’s boxing. London has a ring. Yes, America has a ring, and I fight in the ring, and I think that’s enough.
“I was at Tottenham Stadium for Fury vs. Chisora. If everything goes according to plan, I have another chance to fight in England after this. Nothing special, I can fight anywhere.”
In 2012 he added: I’m not happy with the results, but I can’t say I have bad memories of London. What happened was in the past, and now it is heading into the future. We are excited and hope that everything in the future goes according to plan. “
The task starts on January 28th, but don’t expect any celebrations if he finishes work early.
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