Dmitry Bivol’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, had Artur Beterbiev fuming during today’s final press conference with some of the remarks he made about him ahead of their undisputed world light heavyweight championship this Saturday, October 12th at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
(Photo Credit: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry Promotions)
After listening to a belly-full of Hearn’s comments, Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) lost his temper momentarily, asking the British promoter, “Why are you like this? You talk too much.”
Hearn fired back, telling the unified champion Beterbiev that he should try talking and that he needs to focus on his fight against Bivol on Saturday. Hearn then asked that once Bivol is done with Beterbiev, “You’ll be easy for me.”
Obviously, Hearn is trying his best to get into Beterbiev’s head, rattle him, throw him off his game, and get him fighting recklessly so that Bivol can use his superior boxing skills, jab, and footwork to carve him up.
Beterbiev will fight aggressively regardless, but he might be even more energetic after Hearn upsets him.
Beterbiev’s final comments that he made about Bivol left no doubt about the violence that he intends to inflict on him. He had a look in his eyes that indicated that he was going to hurt Bivol and leave no question of who the better man was. The judges won’t have a say.
It would have been better for Hearn to have stayed quiet and left Bivol to talk because he’s woken up a sleeping giant by angering Artur Beterbiev. There are some fighters that it’s okay to upset, but Beterbiev isn’t one of them.
Artur Beterbiev: “You want to make a fight with Eddie. I can do something.”
Hearn: Don’t worry about me. You have to get through him first.”
Beterbiev: “But why you are you like this?”
Hearn: “When he’s finished with you, you’ll be easy for me.”
Beterbiev: “No need to finish with him. I’ll finish with him tomorrow, but you today maybe.”
Hearn: “The weigh-in is tomorrow.”
“Beterbiev: “But today, maybe.”
Hearn: “Maybe. I don’t think it’ll be a tough fight. You need a real challenge.”
Beterbiev: “I don’t think you’re in good condition now.”
Hearn: “I’m in terrible [shape], but I think you need to switch on for this guy.”
Beterbiev: “Okay. You talk a lot.”
Hearn: “That’s my job. You should try it.”
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