MONTREAL – Artur Beterbiev hadn’t even stepped on the scales on Friday when promoter Bob Arum had declared a few hours earlier that the Russian-born Montrealer would play his next duel against Briton Anthony Yarde on October 29 in London.
But after Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs) tore down Joe Smith Jr. to add the WBO belt to the WBC and IBF ones he already had, the light heavyweight was clear about his expectations for the future. He wants to face the other champion of the division: Dmitrii Bivol.
” I have [disputé] two unification fights [en carrière]. Unification fights are the most interesting, the most motivating, Beterbiev said after his victory in less than two rounds on Saturday at the Madison Square Garden Theater. I want to be the undisputed champion. »
Boxing, however, seems once again about to not strike while the iron is hot, a specialty of which it has had the secret recipe for too long now.
The Beterbiev and Bivol clans had begun talks for a spring summit meeting in St. Petersburg, but the WBA champion decided instead to face Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on May 7 in Las Vegas. Ironically, his win put him on the back burner.
Alvarez effectively decided not to immediately exercise the rematch cause listed in the contract to face Gennadiy Golovkin a third time on September 17. With “Canelo” being the most popular boxer on the planet, most observers believe that Bivol will wait his turn wisely and not risk losing a lucrative purse.
Beterbiev could thus have to wait until the fall of 2023 to perhaps have the chance to cross swords with his compatriot, as well to say an eternity. By facing Yarde (22-2, 21 K.-O.), the protege of Marc Ramsay would also respect his obligations with the WBO.
Although no contract has yet been officially signed, Yarde was at ringside to witness Beterbiev’s 18th victory before the limit in as many outings. “He’s a beast. He hits really hard, the 30-year-old Briton admitted in an interview with ESPN. I am a beast too. That’s why I think it’s an extremely exciting confrontation. »
Yarde is nowhere near Bivol’s track record, but he is nonetheless considered one of the top ten boxers in the division by several trade publications.
Internationally, he is best known for coming close to defeating Sergey Kovalev in August 2019 in Moscow before being finally stopped in the 11th round. Yarde took the 4th round knockout of Lyndon Arthur in his last outing last December, avenging a split judges’ decision loss he suffered to his countryman a year earlier.
“The fight against Kovalev prepared me quite a bit for [un éventuel combat contre Beterbiev]. You can’t have better preparation than that, Yarde said. I was young mentally and physically. I think I’m more experienced now and more mentally ready. »
