Beterbiev superfight postponed. The best Russian boxer had to undergo emergency surgery
Sergey Sorokin July 31, 2023, 10:15 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Now Callum Smith will have to wait.
Professional boxing fans were looking forward to the next fight of Russian Artur Beterbiev. Our undefeated compatriot continues to knock down the rivals. What’s more, they all end exclusively by knockouts, none of his 19 fights came to a judge’s decision. And everyone dreams of a possible duel with Dmitry Bivol, which could be an incredible event. But for now, Beterbiev needs to fight Callum Smith.
Even with that, there were big problems. Beterbiev was diagnosed with a bone infection in his jaw. Osteomyelitis is an unpleasant disease, which, with a negative development, can greatly affect the condition of an athlete. Therefore, Arthur urgently ended up on the operating table.
An honest conversation with a Russian boxing superstar:
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“I will not run after Bivol. His team is brainwashing. ” Frank interview with Beterbiev
The duel with Smith was scheduled for August 19. The promotion of the Russian boxer Eye of the Tiger has already reported that Beterbiev will need time to recover. Therefore, the fight has been postponed, but a new date has not yet been announced. This is understandable, the jaw is a weak point in boxers, which requires careful attention. In addition, Artur is already 38 years old, so it is not known how quickly the recovery will take place.
The most annoying thing is that the date of a possible duel with Bivol is automatically changed. Even if the fight with Smith takes place in 2023, Beterbiev will not have time to fight another, more dangerous opponent in the same year. And next January, Artur will be 39 years old. Dmitry will only be 33 years old – the age advantage seems tangible. And the longer all of this is put off, the less likely it is to see Bivol and Beterbiev in the ring together.
The reasons why the fight between Artur and Dmitry has not yet taken place:
There will be no big fight – money is to blame. Beterbiev and Bivol did not agree
In any case, we wish Beterbiev a speedy recovery and return to the ring. I don’t want Arthur to be out of work mode for a long time because of problems. Because at 39 it will be very difficult to come back after a long time of inactivity. And what is at stake is the status of an undefeated boxer and three belts at once.
