Artur Beterbiev rolls on but biggest challenge awaits

A crucial take a look at the previous week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Artur Beterbiev – Nineteen knockouts in as {many professional} fights. The final eight in title fights, together with an eighth-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Saturday in London. Which means even elite opponents can’t survive towards the 175-pound titleholder. And he’s nonetheless doing it at 38 years previous. All that’s spectacular any method you take a look at it. Beterbiev isn’t a one-punch knockout artist, a la Deontay Wilder. He’s a superb, skilled boxer adept at touchdown heavy, exact punches that break down each the our bodies and can of his foes. Yarde gave a courageous efficiency however merely couldn’t take anymore in the long run, additional proof of Beterbiev’s harmful means. Is he within the class of Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue? In all probability not. They’re way more dynamic than he’s. Then once more, if Beterbiev will get the combat he needs – towards Dmitry Bivol – and wins, we would should reevaluate his place among the many greatest fighters on the earth.

BIGGEST LOSER

The tip is close to for Anthony Yarde. James Probability / Getty Photographs

Anthony Yarde – The Londoner gave a strong efficiency, which is why he was main on two of the three scorecards after seven rounds. He gave a stalking Beterbiev issues along with his quickness and motion whereas additionally connecting on sufficient punches to impress the judges, which made the combat aggressive. Yarde’s drawback was his restricted defensive means. He merely took too many damaging blows, which led to his demise over time. In different phrases, Yarde (23-3, 22 KOs) wasn’t adequate to beat a fighter with Beterbiev’s means. The place does he go from right here? He in all probability carried out properly sufficient to get extra alternatives going ahead if he can get just a few victories below his belt. One factor he would possibly wish to contemplate: Work with a health skilled to cut back his bulk. That would improve each his pace and stamina. Who is aware of? He would possibly find yourself at 168 kilos.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Dmitry Bivol – Beterbiev and Bivol seem like on a collision course for the undisputed championship, assuming competing promotional loyalties will be overcome. Who wins? Bivol. In fact, you possibly can’t dismiss Beterbiev’s possibilities for the explanations listed above. He hasn’t stopped all of his opponents by chance. The issue for Beterbiev is that he hasn’t confronted anybody close to Bivol’s means. Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Browne, Joe Smith Jr. and Yarde are good; Bivol is particular, as he demonstrated in his convincing victory over Canelo Alvarez final Might. Alvarez is of course smaller than Beterbiev however he has the same model; he patiently, however inevitably breaks down his opponents to win fights. The Mexican star couldn’t do this towards Bivol due to Bivol’s dimension benefit and superior boxing means, significantly his defensive abilities. In fact, Bivol wouldn’t have a dimension benefit over Beterbiev however he’s a significantly better boxer. That may be the distinction within the combat.

RABBIT PUNCHES

Information merchandise: Jake Paul and Tommy Fury have agreed to fulfill on pay-per-view Feb. 26. I wish to say I don’t care one iota as a result of it’s a gimmicky matchup between hucksters who’re more proficient at advertising themselves than really preventing. The actual fact is I’m curious. Fury (8-0, 4 KOs) could be one of the best fighter Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) may have confronted. Can Paul land his large proper hand towards the half brother of Tyson Fury? Or will he meet his match towards a superb athlete with some boxing means? I’ll be watching to search out out. What can I say? They bought me. … Welterweight contender Alexis Rocha (22-1, 14 KOs) delivered a dramatic knockout on Saturday in Inglewood, California, stopping late substitute and naturally smaller George Ashie (33-6-1, 25 KOs) with a proper hook within the seventh spherical. The victory doesn’t imply a lot due to Ashie’s limitations however Rocha did what he got down to do, which was to make an announcement. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBO, behind solely champion Terence Crawford, Vergil Ortiz and Keith Thurman. Is Rocha within the class of such fighters? I’ll simply say that he hasn’t demonstrated that but. He referred to as out Crawford after his victory over Ashie. Nothing I noticed on Saturday leads me to consider Rocha can compete with the pound-for-pound king.