Results
Artur Beterbiev vs Joe Smith Jr fight
Artur Beterbiev further unified the delicate heavyweight division by adding Joe Smith Jr.’s WBO belt to his WBC and IBF belts with a spectacular second-round victory on Saturday at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in Recent York City.
Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs) came into the fight with a 100% knockout record, having won the IBF belt in 2017 and added the WBC title in October 2019 with a victory over Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Smith Jr. (28-4, 22 KOs) won the vacant WBO title last April with a majority decision victory over Maxim Vlasov.
Beterbiev caught Smith Jr. with a right hand just seconds after the opening bell, and though the Long Island fighter came forward and landed some solid punches in the opening frame, he was floored for the first time in his career by a low, sneaky right hand just inside the bell.
It was a lightning-fast knockdown, so the 32-year-old continued on and opted to go toe-to-toe with Beterbiev to start the second round, but it came at a cost as a counter right hand put him on the deck again.
Once again Smith Jr survived the count but the Russian-born Canadian overwhelmed him and another series of tough punches, this time a combination of right and left, floored him for a third time.
Smith Jr simply couldn’t avoid the punches and a jarring uppercut left him wobbly on his feet, and the referee had seen enough and waved the fight off.
Thoughts quickly turned to a mouth-watering undisputed title clash with the WBA “super” champion, Dmitry BivolWhile his next likely matchup will be with WBO number one contender Anthony Yard, who was ringside, Beterbiev prefers an undisputed clash with Bivol, who is coming off a stunning win over Canelo Alvarez in May.
Artur Beterbiev is a very, very bad man 😳@BoostMobile X #BeterbievSmith pic.twitter.com/wwIjgjeXk3
— Top-tier boxing (@trboxing) June 19, 2022
“Unification fights are more engaging and motivating” the 37-year-old told ESPN after the fight.
“I prefer [to] unify the fight. I want to be undisputed.”
Ramirez attacks Nova
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (10-1, 6 KOs) won the vacant WBO Global featherweight title with a fifth-round knockout victory over previously undefeated Abraham Nova (21-1, 15 KOs).
DECLARATION MADE 😱@RobeisyRamirez X #BeterbievSmith pic.twitter.com/bAogVcPpUT
— Top-tier boxing (@trboxing) June 19, 2022
It was a devastating finish as the Cuban unleashed a huge left hook that flattened Nova on impact.
Remaining Undercard
In the super welterweight division, Wendy Toussaint (14-1, 6 KOs) won an eight-round decision over Asinia Byfield (15-5-1, 7 KOs) by three scores of 79-73, while in the welterweight division, Jahi Tucker (8-0, 5 KOs) remained undefeated as he stopped D’Andre Smith (11-2, 5 KOs) in the fourth round.
In the middleweight division, Troy Isley (6-0, 4 KOs) also remained undefeated, stopping Donte Stubbs (6-6, 2 KOs) in the sixth and final round.
Super welterweight Jahyae Brown (11-0, 8 KOs) defeated Keane McMahon (7-3, 4 KOs) on points, and super featherweight Floyd Diaz (5-0, 1 KO) did the same in his fight with Daniil Platonovsky (4-1, 2 KOs).
Bruce Carrington (4-0, 3 KO) forced Adrian Leyva (3-3-1, 1 KO) to retire after five rounds in their featherweight fight.
Daniel Dubois has revealed that his goal is an undisputed title clash with the winner of this weekend’s rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
Dubois will defend his IBF heavyweight title against former world champion Joseph Parker on February 22 and arrived in Riyadh earlier this week to watch Saturday’s clash between Usyk and Fury.
After being written off by many recently, “Dynamite” has been in the form of his life lately, picking up three stoppage wins off the back of Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua.
It was said that the heavy-handed 27-year-old would immediately enter into a rematch with Joshua, but “AJ” and his team did not agree with this idea.
And keep talking talkSPORT today, Dubois stated that he has his eye on unifying the four belts with the winner of Saturday’s rematch if he manages to overtake Parker.
“I’m here in Saudi Arabia and I want a winner on Saturday night.
I want to fight for an undisputed result, that’s the game now and that’s the goal.
“100% [I would beat them]. This is my time now. I’ve had my ups and downs, but I’m a recent man.
“I am ready to seek and destroy!” 🔥
Daniel Dubois can’t wait to meet Joseph Parker on February 22 👀#DuboisParker pic.twitter.com/q1WP0YkrmQ
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) December 3, 2024
“I am ready to fight for the undisputed, win it and make history.
“I evolved and learned from my mistakes.
“The team did well and I’m firing on all cylinders now. Let’s go!”
Like Dubois, Parker is also in the best form of his career and comes into the match on the back of upset wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
The situation in the heavyweight division in 2025 depends on the outcome of the epic rematch on Saturday evening, in which three world titles will be up for grabs.
Usyk hurt and released Fury en route to a split decision victory when they first faced off in May, and many believe the ‘Gypsy King’ has everything to do if he wants to reverse the result.
“I am ready to seek and destroy!” 🔥
Daniel Dubois can’t wait to meet Joseph Parker on February 22 👀#DuboisParker pic.twitter.com/q1WP0YkrmQ
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) December 3, 2024
A third fight between the pair is contractually agreed if the Morecambe man wins, provided neither he nor ‘The Cat’ withdraws after the second battle at the Kingdom Arena.
Paulie Malignanggi believes that Tyson Fury is no longer the same fighter he once was, and he will not beat Oleksandr Usyk in Saturday’s rematch.
Fury decides to take revenge for his own loss of split decision to Usyk in May, when he meets the Ukrainian for the second time in Riyad.
Fury was given eight points after tripping over the ropes following a powerful attack from his rival, and Malignaggi feels his three fights with Deontay Wilder, in which he fell four times, are starting to catch up with him.
“I don’t know if Wilder and Fury are the same after these three fights,” the 41-year-old said talkSPORT Boxing.
“Wilder certainly didn’t look the same as Fury to me, his impact resistance was always one of the best.
“He got up from Deontay Wilder’s punches that would have made buildings collapse, and now Oleksandr Usyk, a former cruiserweight, turned him around and dropped him in the first fight.
“What are the lasting effects of the Wilder trilogy?
“Who is one of the most devastating boxers in history.”
The “Gypsy King” suffered the first defeat in his 36-fight professional career, but announced that he would end the 37-year-old’s career on Saturday.
Usyk remains undefeated in his 22-fight professional career, and in May he won the undisputed heavyweight title, the first man in the four-belt era to do so.
Former world champion Malignaggi believes that Usyk, who vacated the IBF belt after the first fight, will repeat the feat.
“I will choose Usyk,” he added.
“I don’t think Fury has it anymore.
“It’s no disrespect to Fury.
“I’ve always loved Fury, I’m just not sure if he can bring him back.”
Frank Warren today revealed that a third fight between the two teams is in the contract – provided Fury emerges victorious and neither retires – while the long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua could be an alternative option for the Manchester fighter.
Tyson Fury described both Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois as “very constrained” compared to him ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury, who saw Dubois defeat Joshua in five rounds at Wembley Stadium in September, is preparing for a second fight with Usyk on December 21 in Riyad, seven months after his first professional defeat against split decision for the undisputed title of heavyweight champion.
The ‘Gypsy King’ insists he will box in a similar fashion when he faces the Ukrainian for the unified heavyweight titles, as well as facing his rival in midfield, something he believes both Joshua and Dubois were unable to do , when they stood against him.
– What can you expect from me? Fury said during his face-to-face meeting with Usyk TNT Sports.
“Basically the same thing I did before.
“Good boxing.
“It’s not normal for someone my height and weight to be able to box and move and slide, so why should I take that away from my game.
“People tell me: go up to Usyk, take him down and punch him, but if it was so effortless why didn’t Joshua do it, who is a massive, sturdy man?
“Why didn’t Dubois do it?
“These men are constrained compared to me, very constrained.”
The 37-year-old Usyk defeated “AJ” twice on points and stopped Dubois, and Fury became the fifth Briton to fall victim to him.
The Manchester athlete believes it cost him an impressive performance in his first outing and has vowed to remain focused when facing Usyk on Saturday in three weeks’ time.
“I belong to a boxer,” the 36-year-old added.
“Slip, slide, clip, hook.
“I’m going to do it, but with more focus.
“A little more focused on my job and I think that’s my path to victory.”
Merry Christmas from World Boxing News
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