He might have faced just twenty opponents in his decade-long career. But in this timeframe, what Artur Beterbiev has accomplished is something most boxers, let alone champions, can only dream of. Now four days separate him from taking his stellar journey to greatness. Understandably, pressure is bound to increase as the showdown with Dmitry Bivol nears.

But in the latest interview, the light heavyweight division’s unified champion made it clear. The pressure could be for others but not for him. The prospects of defeat barely perturb him. To make his point, he traveled back in time to bring ‘The Greatest’s memories back. The Canadian-Russian champion defeated Callum Smith during a title defense in January. The match with Bivol received a date, June 1. But a meniscus injury unfortunately prevented Beterbiev from keeping up with the meeting. Now on October 12, as he parlays with destiny, Artur Beterbiev has a chance to prove why he is one of the best of the era.

Artur Beterbiev: Far from my thoughts

Artur Beterbiev was in a discussion with Queensbury Promotion’s Dev Sahni. The boxing presenter asked whether the losing part of the game frightened him or not. “Do you fear losing your record? 20 fights, 20 wins 20 knockouts Nobody has beaten you yet; are you scared that somebody will beat you one day?” asked Sahni.

“No,” came the reply. Revealing a much familiar, humble demeanor that has endeared him to scores of fans, Beterbiev responded that he has never considered himself a ‘good boxer’. Then one only needs to refer to history. Even Muhammad Ali lost a few battles in his legendary career.

A wake-up call for everyone! For all his defeats, many boxing fans still rate Ali as the greatest boxer of all time. So if that’s the case with one of the best in the sport’s history, Beterbiev reasoned, there shouldn’t be any problem with him being a lesser boxer and losing a match. He added, “I am not even good boxer yet. Even Muhammad Ali lose fights. No. No problem. Muhammad Ali is like the best boxer in the world for history, for right now. But he losing fights. No problem.”

“But I’m not thinking about it; I’m always trying to be ready for my opponents,” the world champion concluded.

A realization necessary

Clearly an interesting take from a champion with so much at stake. Going back to his point, as far as the Muhammad Ali part is concerned, it has stood the test of time. Ali’s career was interspersed with breaks. On account of his beliefs, which he cherished, he faced a multitude of challenges. But Ali remained steadfast. In the end, he lost five fights. But it should be noted that the majority of Ali’s defeats occurred during the final stages of his career when his health had already begun to deteriorate.

Artur Beterbiev treating himself as a subpar boxer could be an understatement. He might not have an Olympic medal to boast. But his professional record, where he stopped all of his adversaries before the final bell, talks a lot about his caliber. From Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Marcus Browne, Joe Smith Jr., Anthony Yarde, and Callum Smith, check out the names he demolished. All had been formidable in their own rights till they met Beterbiev.

Probably many consider the Canadian-Russian champion a power-hitter. But that perception is far from right. Artur Beterbiev has often displayed a commendable understanding of the sweet science. But now he faces a technical powerhouse in Dmitry Bivol. It’s a clash of styles. Whether he will overthrow Bivol, to win the undisputed crown, fans will be eagerly watching out.

If you’re rooting for Artur Beterbiev, would you like to share the round you feel Artur Beterbiev could stop Dmitry Bivol?