Is Artur Beterbiev the hardest puncher in boxing today?
Artur Beterbiev isn’t your run-of-the-mill knockout artist.
The light heavyweight champ and his handlers insist he’s a well-rounded fighter. And he is. He was a two-time Olympian for his native Russia, meaning his game is built on a solid fundamental foundation.
You can’t get around one overwhelming statistic, however: Beterbiev has stopped all 18 of his opponents, including seven in title fights. He will shoot for No. 19 in his title defense against Anthony Yarde on Saturday in London (ESPN+).
Is Beterbiev the biggest puncher in the sport?
His promoter, Bob Arum, who has worked with some of the most powerful men over the past half century, thinks so.
“There are fighters today who are known for their power,” he said with Beterbiev to his side at a news conference Thursday. “The two heavyweights particularly, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, the lighter weight guys like Inoue and Terence Crawford.
“But I think pound-for-pound the biggest puncher in boxing today is the guy on my right. He has knocked out every opponent who has been put in front of him, not because he is not a good boxer – because he is – but he also has that magic that you can’t really train a fighter for.
“It is instinctive, the ability to punch and knock out an opponent.”
Beterbiev’s knockout streak is particularly impressive because his level of opposition the past several years.
Detractors might suggest that Beterbiev is more of a heavy puncher who breaks down opponents before he stops them than a one-punch knockout artist. After all, four of the aforementioned seven championship fights have ended in the ninth round or later, meaning he needed time to finish the job.
However, Wilder, who IS seen as a one-and-done puncher, has needed time to put many of his opponents away, too.
Perhaps it comes down to the tactics of the opponent. A dancer can survive for a while. Foes willing to exchange punches with fighters like Beterbiev and Wilder flirt with instantaneous disaster.
Ask former titleholder Joe Smith Jr., Beterbiev’s most-recent opponent. Smith attacked Beterbiev aggressively and failed to get out of the second round.
For their part, Beterbiev and trainer Marc Ramsay don’t seem to care much about the knockout streak. And they certainly don’t rely solely on Beterbiev’s ability to hurt opponents in their pursuit of victory.
“In our camp, we always try to be ready for different scenarios. If it’s a tough fight, we’re going to be ready,” said Beterbiev, a humble man of few words.
Said Ramsay: “I know everyone wants to talk about [Beterbiev’s KO streak] and has questions about this, but this is really not the focus we have as a team. We work with Artur to get ready to fight the best way we can.
“Power is power. Power is there, but that is not the main objective for us. We don’t put the focus on that.”
He leaves that to the rest of us.