Artur Beterbiev vs Joe Smith Jr. will produce a knockout.
The battle between IBF and WBC light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and WBO champion Joe Smith Jr. is sure to be quite the spectacle. Both men have a hungry go forward pressure still which usually results in them crushing their opposition. Now they are on a collision course for each other and the resulting meeting is likely to produce a knockout.
The boxing match between Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr. is must-see TV. Both men wish to impose their will, but both will apply different methods of arriving to their destination.
Artur Beterbiev
The Russian-Canadian powerhouse is truly a force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division. The IBF and WBC champion, Artur Beterbiev secured his position by force. Of his 17 victories the undefeated Beterbiev has stopped 16 of his opponents. It’s safe to say he’s a knockout artist.
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Artur Beterbiev has an explosive leaping shuffle jab which is sure to give Smith Jr. problems. He explodes into the punch much like a karate fighter, finishing with a powerful right hand to follow up. Beterbiev is also a great counter puncher in the pocket. Should Smith Jr. be lazy with his jab, Beterbiev will counter with a slip and follow offense that could crush his opponent. Beterbiev is also ferocious at close range and should look to get into the pocket early and often.
Joe Smith Jr.
What’s interesting about this match up is how similar both fighters are. The biggest difference between the two could be that Joe Smith Jr. has nearly twice the fight experience as Beterbiev. Smith Jr. demolishes many of his opponents by knockout and recently won his WBO light heavyweight belt just a couple fights back. Now he’s hoping to collect two more belts as he faces off against Beterbiev.
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Like his opponent, Joe Smith Jr. relies on his jab and forward pressure to set up his power punches. In particular Smith Jr. likes to throw the overhand after his lead hand set up. He should perhaps aim to switch levels on Beterbiev to keep him guessing. A jab to the head, then body followed by the overhand could be a successful approach for Smith Jr. He’ll have to be cautious while in the pocket as well as Beterbiev’s shorter reach can prove deadly in exchanges at both close and mid range.
Fight Results
Tune in tomorrow to get the full results to what will likely be a crazy fight.
Artur Beterbiev defeats Joe Smith Jr. by knockout.
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News and Editorial Writer at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
