Roy Jones Jr has identified a weakness in Artur Beterbiev‘a armory ahead of his showdown with Dmitry Bivol.
Beterbiev takes on Bivol in a highly-anticipated light-heavyweight battle in Saudi Arabia on October 12, where the winner will be the first undisputed champion at 175lbs since Jones Jr himself last achieved the feat back in 2002.
The fight has split opinion within boxing over who will come out on top, with observers deciding whether the power of Beterbiev or skill of Bivol will prove to be the difference.
Jones has now revealed a huge concern he has ahead of the fight, telling Talksport that he has doubts over the chin of Beterbiev.
“Beterbiev has been down three or four times already, and what is usually the weakness of the strong punchers is they don’t take as good as they give.
When he’s a superb puncher like Julian Jackson, Gerald McClellan took him out, Mike McCallum took him out. He’s a big time puncher but these guys don’t beat him by decision, they knock him out. He gives a great punch, but he don’t take the best punch.
Beterbiev gives a good punch but I don’t know if he takes a good punch because he’s been down 2 or 3 times in only 17 fights. He has 20 now, but If you’ve been down 3 times in 20 fights there’s a problem somewhere. I really think Bivol has the advantage, and I will go Bivol.”
Beterbiev was knocked down in a fight against Jeff Page Jr in 2014 and then again in his fight with Callum Johnson in 2018. He did, as with every other bout, get the knockout in the end.
