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Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith is set to take place tomorrow, Jan. 13, 2024, as the Russian phenom is set to defend his WBC light heavyweight title. Recently, boxing promoter Eddie Earn offered a prediction for the bout, confidently backing Smith to emerge victorious.
Not only does Hearn believe Smith will fare well against Beterbiev, he is even predicting a stoppage win. Whether Hearn truly believes his own words, or is merely expressing his support for one of his fighters isn't clear. Regardless, Hearn said:
"I believe Callum wins the fight, it is going to be a good fight, a very dangerous fight. If Beterbiev makes mistakes in this fight, and he gets hit clean from Callum Smith, he will be knocked out cold."
It is a curious prediction, especially considering Beterbiev is generally regarded as the power-puncher in the matchup. The Russian is undefeated, having beaten all 19 of his foes by either KO or TKO. Meanwhile, Smith, while powerful, also has 8 decision wins on his record.
That being said, Smith is a dangerous fighter and boasts an impressive record of 29 wins with just one loss. His lone defeat came at the hands of the legendary Canelo Álvarez, who beat him via unanimous decision.
That, however, was over three years ago. Smith has improved since then and is now determined to add Beterbiev's name to his list of conquests. Both men will lock horns tomorrow on January 13 in what promises to be a thriller of a bout.
Has Artur Beterbiev ever faced an undefeated fighter?
While Artur Beterbiev is currently unbeaten, some may wonder if he has ever crossed swords with another undefeated boxer. It may surprise fans to know that he has faced and bested undefeated fighters several times, most notably against Callum Johnson and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Check out Artur Beterbiev knocking out Callum Johnson in the clip below:
Both men were unbeaten when they faced Beterbiev, with Johnson being 17-0 and the then-reigning IBF light heavyweight champion. Gvozdyk was also 17-0, but instead of the IBF strap, he held the WBC light heavyweight championship. Neither man, however, survived their encounter with Beterbiev, as both lost via knockout.
