Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith: Is the unified light-heavyweight champion the scariest fighter in boxing? | Boxing News

Artur Beterbiev doesn’t take into account himself a scary man.

Perhaps he ought to. The unified light-heavyweight has showcased his harmful punching energy in all of his skilled contests, halting each opponent he is confronted.

Even when badly minimize, like in his bout with Marcus Browne, or damage momentarily, as he was in opposition to Britain’s Callum Johnson, he has all the time discovered a technique to hammer out an inside-the-distance victory.

Even his calm appraisal of this weekend’s championship defence in opposition to Liverpool’s Callum Smith seems like a risk.

“One category lower he was champion,” Beterbiev mentioned of Smith. “First of all, he is coming as much as our class. 175lbs is 175lbs and we’ll see what occurs there. Maybe in the decrease class, he is good there however right here it is 175.

“After we can say how is he,” he continued. “We’ll see. We’ll see.”

Beterbiev has picked up the IBF, WBO and WBC light-heavyweight titles. He will put these on the line in opposition to Smith, a former WBA belt-holder at super-middle, at the Videotron Center in Quebec, stay on Sky Sports Arena from 1am on Sunday.

But whereas he has been a dominant power in skilled boxing, he declines to explain himself as the scariest man in the sport.

“I try to do my job. The best way that I can and that’s it,” he advised Sky Sports. “I’m not focused for the knockout or something else. For example in camp we do a couple of strategies. We have a couple of strategies for the fight.

“We all the time do preparation for 12 rounds.”

But he does deny that he has any extra vulnerability, after having to postpone this struggle final yr when an an infection in his jaw required surgical procedure.

“Everything’s good,” Beterbiev mentioned. “It was bad enough, if we cancel the fight. I’d never cancel a fight if there was something small.

“I believe it might be worse if I wasn’t coaching. I’m all the time coaching.

“I do sparring, everything’s good,” he continued. “Now it’s good.

“Everything’s going nicely.”

As a professional fighter, Beterbiev has based himself in Canada. After unifying the three belts in New York and defending them against Anthony Yarde in London, this fight with Smith will be a homecoming.

But Beterbiev won’t let himself enjoy that until the bout is over.

“The out of ring atmosphere is the second part of my job. I’m happy if people come to see this fight to support me,” he mirrored. “But I’m always focused for the fight. The atmosphere in the ring, it’s more interesting for me.

“Like all my opponents, he is a superb boxer,” the champion said of Smith. “He’s a superb fighter, a superb problem for me. Like everybody. I attempt to be prepared for this problem 100 per cent, like typical.

“I know he will bring everything for this fight and I bring everything for this fight.

“And we’ll see who is best.”

Callum Smith challenges Artur Beterbiev stay on Sky Sports Arena from 1am and Sky Sports Main Event from 1.15am on Sunday