By Luke Furman
Promoter Yvon Michel sees rising prospect Artur Beterbiev (6-0, 6KOs) as the next superstar of the light heavyweight division. On Saturday night, before 2,400 fans at the Bell Centre in Montreal, demolish former IBF champion Tavoris Cloud (24-3) in two rounds. Cloud went down four times before he was counted out for good in the second.
The entire team was shocked at the rapid pace that Beterbiev dispatched of Cloud, who went twelve rounds with Bernard Hopkins, Glen Johnson and Gabriel Campillo.
"This is a legitimate victory against a [fighter] who is ranked within the top ten in the world and he made short work [of him]. Artur went in there with no respect and just sent a clear message to light heavyweight division. Frankly, I see no limits," Michel said to RDS.
Michel also promotes WBC champion Adonis Stevenson and previously promoted former champion Jean Pascal.
"I'm glad I passed the test," said Beterbiev. "I was ready to beat him [quick] but I was also ready to go twelve rounds. It's really after the second knockdown that I felt my punches really hurt him. But basically, I think he did not expect that at all."
"Even in my wildest dreams I could not imagine such a scenario," added coach Marc Ramsay. "I'm excited, it's hard right now not to get carried away. I thought Artur could stop him, but at the same time, this is a guy very, very solid. It is clear that there is still room for improvement. I am convinced that Artur can improve. I think we have seen the best of him yet."
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org