Artur Beterbiev wants to face fellow unbeaten Russian Dmitry Bivol
18-0 Russian Artur Beterbiev has his hands full later this month when the takes on the tough Briton Anthony Yarde, but after that he says he wants to focus his efforts on finally making a fight with compatriot Dmitry Bivol a reality.
The 37-year-old Beterbiev has established himself as one of boxing’s foremost power-punchers throughout his career, winning each of his fights by knockout en route to capturing IBF, WBC and WBO titles at 175lbs.
In Yarde, he takes on another fearsome knockout artist but, provided he emerges unscathed from this latest test, Beterbiev has pulled no punches in announcing what he wants as his next challenge.
“We have both signed a contract to fight. He is trying to hit me as hard as he can and I am doing the same. There are no feelings,” said Beterbiev of Yarde, whom he fights at London’s Wembley Arena on January 28.
“After the fight I just hope he is OK. Do I enjoy knocking people out? No. There’s no pleasure in it. I just hope everything is OK with them.
“I just want to do good boxing, not hit people.”
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