Undefeated Artur Beterbiev defeated Britain’s Callum Smith in the seventh round on Saturday to defend his three world light heavyweight titles for the first time in as many fights 20 knockouts.
The 38-year-old Russian-born Canadian Beterbiev stopped the Briton just two minutes into the seventh round in Quebec City, Canada, to improve to 20-0 and become the only man to win each via early stoppage. World champion of the game.
Beterbiev’s right hand landed hard on Smith’s head, leading to a series of punishing lefts to the head and a final right-left combination that knocked the Englishman out of the 70s for the first time in his career. Fall to the ground. Seconds into the seventh round.
Smith got up on the ropes, but Beterbiev quickly landed a five-punch combination that knocked the challenger to the ground again. Smith’s corner stopped play shortly afterwards.
Beterbiev retains the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Organization and International Boxing Federation light heavyweight titles and sets up an undisputed fight against unbeaten World Boxing Association champion Dmitry Bivol of Russia laid the foundation for the battle for unification.
The 33-year-old former WBA super middleweight champion Smith has a record of 29 wins and 2 losses. His only previous defeat was a unanimous decision loss to undisputed world super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez of Mexico in 2020.
Beterbiev was originally scheduled to fight Smith last August, but the fight was postponed due to a bone infection that required jaw surgery.
Beterbiev won his first world title in 2017 and defended his title for the second time in his most recent fight in London last January, defeating Britain’s Anthony Yarde in the eighth round. Three championships.
Smith last fought in August 2022, when he stopped France’s Mathieu Bauderlique in the fourth round to earn a shot at Beterbiev.
The hometown division favorite is expected to compete for the undisputed 175-pound (79.9 kg) title against Bivol, 33, who has a record of 22-0 with 11 knockouts.
Beterbiev attacked from the start with power punches, but Smith kept him down with jabs and combinations, and the patient champion measured the challenger early as the fight settled into a rhythm.
Beterbiev swollen Smith’s right eye in the third round and landed a powerful right uppercut to the chin and body shots.
In the fourth round, the champion landed a series of punishing punches to Smith’s head, surprising the Briton whose nose began to bleed in the fifth, setting the stage for the fight.
In the undercard match, Australian WBO bantamweight champion Jason Moloney defeated American Saul Sanchez in a 12-round majority decision to defend his title.
The 32-year-old from Melbourne improved his record to 27-2, while Sanchez’s record fell to 20-3, with two judges judging the Australian to win 116-112 and the third fight 114-114. It’s a tie.
In May last year, Moloney defeated Filipino player Vincent Astrolabio by a majority vote to win the vacant 118-pound gold belt and defend the title for the first time.
