Artur Beterbiev is just weeks away from his historic undisputed fight with Dmitry Bivol.
Beterbiev is the only current world champion with a 100% knockout ratio. He has managed to stop all 20 of his opponents inside the distance including a trio of British challengers Callum Smith, Callum Johnson and Anthony Yarde.
He was originally scheduled to face Bivol earlier in the year but a knee injury put the brakes on and the new date is now October 12 when the fight card, titled ‘Four Crown Showdown’, in Riyadh will feature the likes of Shakur Stevenson versus Joe Cordina and a rematch between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke. Jai Opetaia also defends his IBF cruiserweight title against Jack Massey.
Ahead of that epic card, legendary Top Rank promoter Bob Arum was asked by Boxing News if Beterbiev might consider, if he beats Bivol, moving up to cruiserweight to challenge for world honours in a second weight class against Opetaia.
Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh has previously floated the idea of the winner of this undisputed bout moving up to 200lbs to challenge the destructive Opetaia, but the veteran American promoter says the idea is ‘crazy.’
“Absolutely not, I mean that’s crazy.”
He then explained that he thinks the weight difference is just too much for that to happen.
“That’s going up and giving up 25 lbs. As good as he is, that’s a step too far in my opinion. I don’t know what Artur has to say about that but I just think it’s silly for a guy who has no problem making light heavyweight and is not that big a guy going up 25 lbs to fight a cruiserweight. I just don’t think it makes any sense.”
With Beterbiev 39-years-old, many will feel retirement is more likely than a 25-pound weight jump
