Artur Beterbiev - Callum Smith summary online, round by round, stats and highlights
Beterbiev stops Smith, perfect KO record
Artur Beterbiev perfect as he stops Callum Smith
For as good as Callum Smith is, and he is good to be sure, Artur Beterbiev made him look pedestrian. That is the genius of Beterbiev. He makes good fighters look average.
From the opening bell, Smith did all that he could to keep the fight close, he threw great punches and clean combinations. But no matter what he did, he was always playing catchup to Beterbiev. The Russian Hammer quite simply is a level above.
Beterbiev didn't do anything slick or tricky. He boxed behind his jab, and it is a great jab. For those who say that the Hammer can't box, they could not be more wrong. Beterbiev boxed a perfect match and his jab is a thing of beauty.
The back hand is what has made Beterbiev's name. Power and stopping ability. And he landed those cleanly on Smith, damaging shots that caused real pain. But for six rounds, Beterbiev simply outboxed Callum Smith. He won every round and he did it the old fashioned way.
When he landed the right hand in the seventh, it was a peach. Right on the ear, it took away Smith's balance immediately. He stumbled, and wobbled and went down for the first time in his professional career. Beterbiev stayed on him and sent Smith to the floor a second time before the stoppage came.
With this win, Artur Beterbiev remains perfect. Twenty fights, twenty wins, twenty knockouts. Only one man can be the next fight for Beterbiev and that of course is Dmitry Bivol. It must happen. All of the light heavyweight belts on the line, winner take all.
Fight fans want it, and with this knockout, Beterbiev has shown that there is nobody else in the world who is worthy of the matchup.
GOODBYE!!!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
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We will return with live boxing coverage next Saturday for Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer for the IBF Welterweight World Title.
Until then, good night and God bless!
Artur Beterbiev wins by TKO
A right hand from Beterbiev catches Smith high on the head and he is wobbled! He has no balance left! A flurry of shots and Smith goes down!
He beats the count but Beterbiev comes back in and Smith goes down again. Again he beats the count but his trainer steps in and pulls him out of the fight. That is it!
20-0, all by knockout.
Beterbiev comes out with his own jab working, and each time he throws it, he finds it. Smith is landing nice shots of his own but he can't avoid being hit.
Smith starts working inside, landing that left to the body, doing good work.
Smith comes out working the jab, trying to get back onto the front foot. Beterbiev stops the attack with a jab of his own and the fight settles into a cagey, slower pace.
Beterbiev jabs again and again, it just can't miss. Smith has some blood appearing on his eye.
Beterbiev gets Smith backed onto the ropes and this time Smith is more free with his hands, throwing back. Beterbiev catches him with a great right and Smith is in trouble here. He covers up but Beterbiev is just landing shot after shot. Smith needs to do something here or he might find this fight stopped.
Smith throws back and lands a sweet uppercut, snapping Beterbiev's head back. It is enough to get off the ropes and go back to the center of the ring.
Beterbiev lands a solid left hand and Smith covers up. They come together and take the fight inside. Smith holds his own in this battle, but Beterbiev lands another good jab that rocks Smith's head back.
They trade jabs before Beterbiev lands a great left hand unanswered. Smith is pushed back onto the ropes and works his way off again behind two stiff jabs to Beterbiev's face.
Beterbiev comes out looking to get onto the front foot, but Smith backs him up nicely with a series of jabs. Smith manages to sneak an uppercut to the body there.
Beterbiev gives up the center of the ring, allowing Smith to hold it while they feel each other out.
We are off! Both men come out and Beterbiev is pounding away immediately.
Smith covers up and works his way off the ropes to throw shots back. Smith looks for the jab, but Beterbiev is stalking him, walking him down.
Smith throws a nice left to pop Beterbiev's head back. As the round winds down, they are both slightly more cagey than when the round started.
Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith
And now we have arrived at the main event! Artur Beterbiev puts his WBC, WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles on the line as he faces Callum Smith. Both of these men can punch and punch hard. Neither has ever been stopped.
Unstoppable force meets immovable object.
Christian Mbilli wins by TKO
Rohan Murdock wants to continue, but his corner, I think wisely, make the decision to pull their man out of the bout, retiring him on the stool.
Murdock needs to show something here or the referee may well step in. Mbilli comes out boxing well, and Murdock is trying to show that he is still in it, but it is going to be difficult. That jab from Mbilli can't miss. With Murdock's eyes swollen nearly shut he simply can't get out of the way.
Mbilli pushes Murdock onto the ropes and tries to step on the gas, but Murdock is making a good showing for himself. A right hand from Murdock seems to stagger Mbilli now.
Mbilli comes out with a great right hand, Murdock firing back but Mbilli works him onto the ropes and lands another good right. The pace has notably slowed from the opening rounds. Mbilli is still pushing the agenda, but not comepletely in the driving seat as he was before. Murdock is doing good work as well.
Mbilli lands a huge right hand and Murdock stumbles back. He is in trouble here! His left eye is swelling and he is only barely in this fight anymore. The bell can't come soon enough for Murdock.
This round gets going slower than the first three, both fighters perhaps a little tired after the fast pace that was set early.
A straight right hand snaps Murdock's head back and the ref calls time as his mouthpiece had come out. Murdock jabs well and stays in the fight to an extent here.
The trade shots and both are doing good work as the round starts. Mbilli backs Murdock onto the ropes again and lands a right hand and an uppercut, dictating the pace of this fight.
Murdock is throwing big shots, but missing with most of them. Mbilli is forcing Murdock to fight the type of fight that he wants him to. Mbilli lands another left hand and then a great straight right.
Mbilli jabs sharply, catching Murdock cleanly. They trade shots and then come together in the middle of the ring.
Mbilli backs Murdock onto the ropes and then Murdock begins to showboat. That is stupid! He sticks his tongue out at Mbilly sticks a left hand onto his face.
Murdock is backed onto the ropes again and Mbilli is landing the shots that he wants to, whenever he wants to. A clean left hand lands and Murdock drifts backward. He is hurt, no matter how much he protests.
Both men come out working from the orthodox stance and look to be trying to get going quickly. Mbilli throws his hands freely and Murdock is responding well, trading with him.
A nice stiff jab sends Murdock's head back and Mbilli follows it with an overhand right that doesn't quite land.
A shot sends Murdock to the floor but the ref rules that it was a punch to the back of the head. No knockdown.
Christian Mbilli vs. Rohan Murdock
Now a super middleweight bout between Christian Mbilli and Rohan Murdock.
AND STILL: Moloney wins by MD
Let's look at the judges scorecards. They saw it:
114-114
116-112
116-112
for Jason Moloney who hangs onto his title by a thread.
This fight was as close as you can imagine. At the halfway point, I thought that Moloney had a lead, but Sanchez took a lot of those later rounds. I didn't score it myself, but my overall impression is that this fight was on a razor's edge.
As we come into the final round, this fight is almost impossible to pick a winner. It is so close, so even. Both men know how close it is and they are going hell for leather to take this final round.
They hammer away at each other, trading licks, pounding a shot out, taking one in return.
As the halfway mark nears, they are both exhausted, hanging onto each other, trying to get a shot in, and then trading again when they are broken apart.
In the last minute, they both empty the tank, throwing hands with everthing they have left.
The bell rings and they are both shattered.
They come out bombing, both men throwing shots, punch and counter punch, trading leather.
Moloney lands a good left hook that seems to stun Sanchez momentarily. Once again, Moloney pushes Sanchez onto the ropes, but before he can unload, Sanchez snaps his head back with a left of his own.
As th round end, they are just trading shots.
Moloney comes out on the front foot, marching Sanchez down and trying to get his feet set. Sanchez is too wily, setting traps and countering well, landing a right that snaps Moloney's head back.
Moloney stays on him and manages to do some good work.
Both men come out leaning on each other and Sanchez tries to push Moloney back onto the ropes, bullying him backward. Moloney works his way out and lands a nice right hand. Sanchez stays on the front foot, throwing a wonderful five punch combination, landing a sweet left hook to cap it.
Moloney backs Sanchez onto the ropes and tries to get something going in his favor but Sanchez ties him up nicely.
The final 30 seconds of the round see Moloney leaning onto Sanchez, pushing him onto the ropes again.
The doctor takes a look at Moloney's eye and decides to let the fight continue.
Sanchez lands a pair of lefts that get things going. Moloney is holding on now, less busy than before. Sanchez is throwing hard shots, and now Moloney pushes forward and gets Sanchez backed onto the ropes.
They trade shots as the round ends.
Moloney is holding on as the round starts, Sanchez working the inside. As they are split by the ref, Moloney goes back to work from the outside, landing a nice left hook to the body.
Both fighters slow as the round wears on but Sanchez lands a great right hand as the bell sounds.
That cut on Moloney's eye is a deep one. They will keep an eye on it.
Sanchez comes out firing away and Moloney now takes the center of the ring. Sanchez lands a great right hand, and then follows it up with a solid combo, landing another right hand behind it. That was a beautiful display from Sanchez.
Now it is Moloney's turn to land a nice combo. Sanchez parried it well, but that was a better response from the Aussie.
They trade and as the round winds down it is difficult to split them.
Sanchez is more active now, for perhaps the first round of the fight, he is trying to get onto the front foot rather than counter punching.
Moloney is keeping his work rate high, despite the barrage coming at him, throwing back his usual high volume of shots.
Moloney pushes Sanchez onto the ropes and manages to land a nice right hand that slows Sanchez down.
Moloney is the more active puncher here, throwing single shots, jabs and the occasional right hand, but Sanchez is throwing hard responses, mainly jabs and straight rights.
Moloney lands a great uppercut and Sanchez holds on. That rocked him a little there.
Sanchez is grappling a lot here, he looks to be perhaps hurt. Moloney has landed a few short right hands and they could have done a bit of damage.
Both fighters come out leaning on each other, trying to take what has been an outside fight and bring it in close. Moloney is landing some nice right hands from in close, but he has a cut on his right eye now. It is not clear whether that was from a punch or a head clash.
Sanchez lands a great counter right, snapping Moloney's head back.
Moloney is peppering Sanchez with shots, but the responses coming back are the more eye-catching shots.
Moloney is moving a little too much here, still working outside but trying to edge his way to the center of the ring. Sanchez is staying compact and coming back with nice shots, stopping any attack that Moloney tries to put together.
Moloney begins to settle a little bit, getting off a nice one-two combo but as he goes in he catches an uppercut from Sanchez that snaps Moloney's head back. That was eye-catching, if not hurtful.
Both fighters come out working orthodox and Sanchez takes the center of the ring. Moloney the champion and is happy enough to move around the outside.
Sanchez is staying tight here and jabbing nicely to the body. Moloney is open to be hit and is nipping in and out quickly, and while he is not being hurt, Moloney is definitely being hit quite a bit here.
Sanchez is tidy here, doing good work.
Jason Moloney vs. Saul Sanchez
Now we have a title fight as Jason Moloney defends his WBO bantamweight title against Saul Sanchez.
Khataev wins by TKO
Ludwiczak comes out trying to land shots that can push Khataev back a bit, but he is definitely on the back foot. Khataev is landing shots almost at will, and the Pole is very much in trouble. A flurry of body shots take effect as Ludwiczak takes a knee to compose himself.
Khataev comes out banging and while the Pole is still throwing shots, he is unable to take much more of this. The referee sees that he is finished and steps in to call a halt to proceedings.
Both fighters come out working from the orthodox stance, with Khataev taking the center of the ring. He is loose and deliberate as Ludwiczak moves around the outside, looking for a way in.
Khataev lands a great left hook, but Ludwiczak comes back with a great combo, snapping Khataev's head back with a sweet right.
Khataev connects with a great one-two, landing that back hand nicely. They trade right hands and Ludwiczak catches it right on the nose, and he is looking marked up there by it, with a bit of redness showing.
Imam Khataev vs. Michal Ludwiczak
Now we join the undercard action as Imam Khataev meets Michal Ludwiczak at light heavyweight for the vacant IBF title.
This fight is scheduled for ten rounds.
Preliminary results
Leila Beaudoin wins by UD, with all three judges scoring it her way over Elizabeth Espinoza: 78-74, 78-74, 77-75
Wilkens Mathieu wins by UD, with all three judges scoring it his way over Jose Arias Alvarez: 40-36, 40-35, 40-35
Mehmet Unal wins by TKO, stopping Dragan Lepei in the first-round.
Christopher Guerrero wins by UD, with all three judges scoring it his way over Sergio Herrera: 79-73, 78-74, 78-74
Moreno Fendero wins by KO, stopping Victor Hugo Flores with a knockout in the first-round KO
The former WBA and WBC Super Middleweight champ is confident that he can knock out the knockout king at Light Heavyweight.
We take a look at the swagger of Callum Smith right here.
When the Russian takes on the Englishman on Saturday night, there will be a lot more than just his belts at stake. Indeed, there will be a lot of cash.
Our own Paul Rudder takes a look at the fight purse breakdown here.
The Full Card
Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith [WBC, WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles]
Christian Mbilli vs. Rohan Murdock [super middleweight]
Jason Moloney vs. Saul Sanchez [WBO bantamweight title]
Imam Khataev vs. Rodolfo Gomez Jr. [light heavyweight]
Christopher Guerrero vs. Sergio Garcia Herrera [welterweight]
Mehmet Unal vs. Dragan Lepei, 8 rounds, light heavyweight
Leila Beaudoin vs. Elizabeth Chavez Espinoza [junior lightweight]
Moreno Fendero vs. Victor Hugo Flores [super middleweight]
Wilkens Mathieu vs. Jose Arias Alvarez [super middleweight]
The main card is set to get underway at 10 pm ET / 7 pm PT.
Tale of the tape
Artur Beterbiev
Age: 38
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5ft 11in
Reach: 73”
Record: 19-0-0
Callum Smith
Age: 33
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6ft 3in
Reach: 78”
Record: 29-1-0
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to Diario AS USA’s live coverage of Artur Beterbiev’s title defense against Callum Smith from the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
One of the most dominant fighters in boxing knocking out every opponent that he has faced, Beterbiev is 19-0 and has swept up the IBF, WBC and WBO world championships at light heavyweight,
Most fans dream of seeing Beterbiev square off with Dmitry Bivol, but in order to get there, he needs to deal with Callum Smith first, and that is easier said than done.
Smith has found new life since stepping up to light heavy, punching harder and looking more at home in his own skin, and this is a fighter who was already solid at super middle. He got a decision win over John Ryder and then took Canelo Álvarez on only four weeks notice. While he looked shaky against Ryder and was battered all over the ring by Canelo, he has plowed his way through both Gilbert Castillo Rivera and Mathieu Bauderlique in only six rounds total since moving up.
The general consensus is that while Smith may not be at the same level as Beterbiev, he is a tough opponent who has never been stopped. When the knockout king comes up against a fighter who refuses to go down, it can only be glorious for fight fans. And who knows? In boxing, you only need one punch to flip the script.