Comments Thread For: Artur Beterbiev Certain To Unleash His Ferocity in Joe Smith Unification

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Thomas Gerbasi - Blood. In a boxing ring, it's the great equalizer, maybe even more so than a well-placed left hook to the liver or a right cross to the jaw. When it flows, it can take the one who inflicted the damage to a new level of ferocity, and for the damaged, it might just be the beginning of the end, official or not.
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[KING S.O.G]

Let's go Joe!!!

[Ragga1]

Both guys come across really humble which is rare nowadays in boxing. I see Beterbiev stopping Smith in the middle rounds.

[landotter]

I have been beating the drum for Beterbiev and Bivol for so long, I feel like my arms would fall off. Then when Bivol signed to Alvarez, I figured that was it. Nothing but scrubs for a while.

Then.... this got signed.

I have been giggling ever since. On top of that, I only get one weekend off a month, and Beterbiev and Smith were polite enough to pick that weekend for the fight!! AND it is on free TV, which is ironic because I would pay for this one. As a boxing fan, I do not lose here. I cheer for both of these guys. I have to admit that I do not think Smith looked good in either of his last 2 fights, but I do think he is the kind of guy who boxes to the level of his competition. I think he brings a serious "A" game this Saturday. Beterbiev is underrated as a technical fighter, but it is mostly all about offense with him. The guy has been manufactured out of granite, and so far no one has been able to hurt him. Smith has good power, so I am super interested to see if Smith can take advantage of the "take one to land two" style that Beterbiev imposes on his competition.

If Smith can hurt Beterbiev, he will win an all-action fight on points, likely UD. If he cannot, Smith will not see the championship rounds as he is there to be hit. My gut says Beterbiev by legit KO, somewhere between the 8th-10th rounds.

[tkoboxingscene]

Beterbiev by knockout at around 8 -10 rounds. I wish Beterbiev and Bivol would fight this year.

[Bonham77]

It's a fight where I've always liked both fighters. Beterbiev the edge in skills and I believe Smith the better " one punch " power. Although I believe Beterbiev is stronger over all physically. I believe that Smith can tag Beterbiev and possibly get him out of there .. early. 4-5-6th round type thing. People tend to dismiss Joe Smith . This is the best opponent for both of these guys. I'm going with the upset. Smith will drop Beterbiev, then go in for the kill with the ref stopping it while Beterbiev is out on his feet.

[Cypocryphy]

We're going to see Joe Smith Jr. lose by TKO/KO for the first time in his career. You may have forgotten, but Bivol almost stopped Smith Jr. in the 12th round. He was lucky the bell rang.

[CasperUK]

This is going to be like the Kaladjic fight.

[Yerlan T.]

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[M111]

Smith really struggled against Bivol. Had he not landed that one punch at the end of the 10th the fight would’ve been a complete whitewash.

I think people seriously underrate Beterbiev’s skill level because his relentless style and knockouts eclipse it. His footwork and lateral movement are genuinely excellent, amongst the absolute best in the game and i think that’s what Smith will struggle with the most.

I expect Beterbiev to thoroughly outbox Smith over the first 4 or 5 rounds, slow him down with well placed, hurtful shots particularly to the body and stop him in the middle to late rounds. Smith’s feet are too slow and I don’t think Beterbiev will allow him to engage with him early on and will use his skill to pick him apart and break him down.