Artur Beterbiev is a man of few words but the hugely-capable WBC, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight champion has said he is 100 per cent fit and focused on his October 12 unification bout with WBA king Dmitry Bivol.
Having thanked Riyadh Season – the fight takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – and promoters Top Rank and Queensberry, as well as Bivol, for the fight taking place, the 40-year-old, who is 20-0 (20 KOs) said winning all of the titles has always been his goal.
“It’s top of the meaning in boxing when you have four belts, and that’s it,” said Beterbiev. “I want to win a fourth one.”
Asked if he was specifically happy with the defining contest coming against Bivol, who he has known since his amateur days, Beterbiev added: “Every opponent is different. Every person is different. But we have prepared for this fight, to be ready for everything.”
The contest was originally set for June, but Beterbiev injured his meniscus and the fight was postponed for his knee to heal. He now says he is ready, and would not be fighting if he was not fully repaired and prepared.
“Yes, because I always do preparation for 100 per cent, half is not for me,” he said.
But Beterbiev stopped short of making a prediction, telling today’s press conference in London: “I never [make a] prediction. What happens happens. I’m more focused on different details, to prepare and to do good things.”
Top Rank’s Todd duBoef insisted Beterbiev was looking for his 21st destruction.
“When we come into the fight game, one thing we really like is we like that absolute determination when somebody goes for that absolute destruction, and every time Artur gets in the ring, he just goes to terminate,” said duBoef. “When I first met him in Canada, I was scared out of my mind sitting at a table.
“The guy is an absolute animal. You just feel it.”
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