By: Hans Themistode
There can only be room for the 175-pound food chain’s top knockout artist.
According to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, unified lightweight champion Artur Beterbiev, along with WBO belt holder Joe Smith Jr., have agreed to terms for the light heavyweight unification bout. The two will officially try to hold three of the four major titles at £175 on June 18, with Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater leading the charts as a likely destination.
As for the New Yorker, Smith Jr is enjoying his time as the newly belted world champion. After falling to Dmitry Bivol in 2019 in his first title win, Smith Jr went on to win four straight. As a result, he proudly wraps light weight gold around his waist in 2021.
To mark his official status as world champion, Smith Jr defeated Steve Geffrard in his first title defense. The 32-year-old easily eliminated his senior in the first month of the new year, stopping in the 9th round. With a successful defense of his title for the first time, Smith Jr refused to look at anyone else. apart from Beterbiev. Although a possible bout against boxing’s top star, Canelo Alvarez, would earn Smith Jr.’s life-changing sum, he believes victory over Beterbiev will earn him a place in boxing history. older brother.
While Smith Jr will boldly attempt to check out Beterbiev’s chin, he will easily face the toughest spanner of his career and one of the deadliest punchers the sport of boxing has ever seen. .
Even though Beterbiev is 37 years old, there are still no signs of aging. Even more so, his power seems to be as fearsome as ever. With each of his victories coming through extra time, Beterbiev brutally punished his opponents. Marcus Browne, a 31-year-old former interim player, met the mental strength of Beterbiev at the end of 2021.
The two clashed in Beterbiev’s adopted hometown of Montreal, Canada on December 17, 2021. Though Browne tried to stand his ground, his normally persistent chin failed was defeated by Beterbiev relentlessly applying pressure throughout the night, leading to a defeat in the ninth inning.
No one is willing to leave their fate to the judges, their unifying numbers will become bombs right from the opening bell.
