Artur Beterbiev Seeks Knockout Against Marcus Browne On Dec 17 Boxing News 24

Via Allan Fox: Artur Beterbiev (16-0, 16 KOs) will look to claim his 17th consecutive knockout next month as he defends his IBF & WBC light heavyweight title against WBC mandatory challenger Marcus’ Sir ‘ Browne (24-1, 16 KOs) at Bell Center in Monreal on ESPN+.

Two-time Russian Olympic athlete Beterbiev wants to stay on a collision course for a potential big fight with Canelo Alvarez in 2022 or 2023.

Mexican superstar Canelo let Top Rated promoter Bob Arum know last September that he wanted to challenge Beterbiev or his two 175 lb titles soon.

Arum said the fight between Canelo-Beterbiev will depend on Canelo’s coach and manager, Eddy Reynoso. If he believes Canelo is defiant enough to take on the heavy-handed Beterbiev, the fight will happen.

2012 American athlete Browne, 31, is about to win by unanimous decision in the 10th round over Denis Grachev last April. Prior to that, Browne was beaten by former WBC 175-lb champion Jean Pascal by an eighth-round technical decision in August 2019.

Beterbiev towards undisputed

“Artur Beterbiev is one of the best boxers in boxing today, a fearsome fighter, a crowd pleaser,” said Bob Arum, Beterbiev’s Top Rank promoter. “In Marcus Browne, he fights his No. 1 contender.

Arum continued: “The light heavyweight segment is still alive and well. “Joe Smith, the WBO light heavyweight champion, will fight in mid-January for the world title, and we hope before the end of the year.

Next year, the titles will be unified [at 175], and the unifying champion with all four possible titles is probably Canelo Alvarez, who is always on the lookout for his opponent.

“We believe that Artur Beterbiev is by far the best light heavyweight boxer in the world and will conquer whoever is put before him.

“I know that our good friends at PBC and Tom Brown believe that Marcus Browne is an excellent fighter and is capable of beating Beterbiev, and that is why the fighters come into the ring to control. Find out who is the best.

“It must have been a great, great night of boxing at the Bell Center in Montreal, and I can’t wait for that to happen.

“I couldn’t wait for this 90-year-old, who I would be at that time, to come to my first country outside of the United States.

“I think it could happen in Canada because the first fight I promoted was in Toronto, Canada, almost 57 years ago when Ali fought Chavalo.

“So I can’t wait to go back to Canada. Thank God the border is open both ways and I look forward to seeing you all on December 17th,” Arum said.

Beterbiev needed to beat Browne, WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and WBO champion Joe Smith Jr to become the undisputed champion at 175.

It would be an easy fight for Arum to make between Beterbiev and Smith Jr. in 2022, when he’s promoting both of them. Organizing a contest with Bivol would be more complicated for Arum, as he is with Eddie Hearn and his Matchroom Boxing ad agency.

Before Beterbiev can think about the war of unification, he needs to focus on getting through Browne.

Browne was perhaps the toughest match of Beterbiev’s career, more brutal than his match against former 175-lb WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozyk in 2019.

Canelo wants Beterbiev to fight

Arum said: “If Eddy[Reynoso’sendingthefightthenEddybelievesthatCanelohasthetalenttodefeatBeterbiev”[Reynoso’sokaysthefightthenEddybelievesCanelohasthetalenttobeatBeterbiev”saidArumtoFighthubTV[Reynoso’skếtthúccuộcchiếnthìEddytinrằngCanelocóđủtàinăngđểđánhbạiBeterbiev”[Reynoso’sokaysthefightthenEddybelievesCanelohasthetalenttobeatBeterbiev”saidArumtoFighthubTV

“If Eddy isn’t okay with the fight, then Eddy doesn’t believe Canelo is ready for Beterbiev and 175 for a puncher like Beterbiev could be a bridge too far.

Arum said: “Canelo sat next to him to join the battle with Valdez, and he told me that Beterbiev was a good possibility.

Canelo is moving up to cruiser to challenge WBC champion Ilunga Makabu in early 2022. If Canelo wins that match, he could return to 168th to face Gennady Golovkin.