They say old age is a boxer’s most formidable rival. However, age doesn’t seem to faze the Russian knockout artist Artur Beterbiev! In a dominant show of performance, the 20-0 Montreal resident defeated Callum Smith via seventh-round stoppage to retain his IBF, WBC, and WBO titles. Meanwhile, Turki Alalshikh and Tony Bellew joined the fray to praise the Russian boxer.

In recent times, the Saudi Royalty has played host to a series of extravagant boxing events. From the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou fight to the upcoming fight between Anthony Joshua and Ngannou. Meanwhile, Bellew was busy setting Hollywood on fire with his appearance in the Creed movies. However, after Beterbiev’s performance last night, both turned to social media to pen messages for the Russian.

A win for Artur Beterbiev helped Alalshikh sleep happy

Turning to X (formerly Twitter) immediately after the fight had concluded last night, the Saudi royalty praised Beterbiev for his excellent performance. It’s worth mentioning that even though Smith already had a loss on his record, he was never knocked down. However, Beterbiev is a different animal who dropped the Londoner twice, maintaining his 100% knockout record.

So, Alalshikh congratulated the 38-year-old boxer for his latest tango in the ring, claiming it will finally help him sleep happily at night. “Impressive performance…congratulations brother, thanks to God I can sleep now happy,” wrote Alashikh. However, he wasn’t alone in praising the newly crowned victor, as minutes later, the former WBC cruiserweight champion hopped on the platform to express his thoughts.

Tony Bellew feels Beterbiev aged like fine wine!

After marveling at the fight in Centre Videotron, Quebec City, Bellew quickly found himself putting together thoughts and expectations for Beterbiev after the victory. He demanded a fight between Dmitry Bivol and Beterbiev, something Bivol had been wanting for a while now. “We wanna see Bivol Beterbiev next,” wrote Bellew.

He went on to suggest there’s no one better than Beterbiev, even though he is nearing the end of his prime. “It’s a great fight, but please show me a fighter who has got stronger with age! He’s 39, and he’s getting more destructive,” wrote Bellew. He also added that such a performance at Beterbiev’s age should not be possible, but he is pulling it off. 

Also Read: “It’s the Top”: Following Callum Smith Knockout, Artur Beterbiev Confirms Dmitry Bivol Fight Next

After last night’s masterclass on boxing, Artur Beterbiev is the hottest fighter in boxing. However, who and where he will face next is yet to be determined. If the stars align correctly, a fight between Bivol and Beterbiev isn’t too far on the horizon. Who would you like to see opposite Beterbiev?

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