Artur Beterbiev doesn’t think about himself a scary man.
Maybe he ought to. The unified light-heavyweight has showcased his harmful punching energy in all of his skilled contests, halting each opponent he is confronted.
Even when badly reduce, like in his bout with Marcus Browne, or damage momentarily, as he was in opposition to Britain’s Callum Johnson, he has at all times discovered a method to hammer out an inside-the-distance victory.
Even his calm appraisal of this weekend’s championship defence in opposition to Liverpool’s Callum Smith feels like a risk.
“One category lower he was champion,” Beterbiev mentioned of Smith. “To start with, he is coming as much as our class. 175lbs is 175lbs and we’ll see what occurs there. Perhaps within the decrease class, he is good there however right here it is 175.
“After we can say how is he,” he continued. “We’ll see. We’ll see.”
Beterbiev has picked up the IBF, WBO and WBC light-heavyweight titles. He’ll put these on the road in opposition to Smith, a former WBA belt-holder at super-middle, on the Videotron Heart in Quebec, reside on Sky Sports activities Area from 1am on Sunday.
However whereas he has been a dominant pressure in skilled boxing, he declines to explain himself because the scariest man within the sport.
“I try to do my job. The best way that I can and that’s it,” he advised Sky Sports activities. “I’m not focused for the knockout or something else. For example in camp we do a couple of strategies. We have a couple of strategies for the fight.
“We at all times do preparation for 12 rounds.”
However he does deny that he has any further vulnerability, after having to postpone this struggle final yr when an an infection in his jaw required surgical procedure.
“Everything’s good,” Beterbiev mentioned. “It was bad enough, if we cancel the fight. I’d never cancel a fight if there was something small.
“I feel it might be worse if I wasn’t coaching. I am at all times coaching.
“I do sparring, everything’s good,” he continued. “Now it’s good.
“All the things’s going effectively.”
As a professional fighter, Beterbiev has based himself in Canada. After unifying the three belts in New York and defending them against Anthony Yarde in London, this fight with Smith will be a homecoming.
But Beterbiev won’t let himself enjoy that until the bout is over.
“The out of ring atmosphere is the second part of my job. I’m happy if people come to see this fight to support me,” he mirrored. “But I’m always focused for the fight. The atmosphere in the ring, it’s more interesting for me.
“Like all my opponents, he is a superb boxer,” the champion said of Smith. “He is a superb fighter, a superb problem for me. Like everybody. I attempt to be prepared for this problem 100 per cent, like regular.
“I know he will bring everything for this fight and I bring everything for this fight.
“And we’ll see who is healthier.”
Callum Smith challenges Artur Beterbiev reside on Sky Sports activities Area from 1am and Sky Sports activities Foremost Occasion from 1.15am on Sunday