Report/Photo Boxing Bob Newman
WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. says he wants WBC/IBF light heavy champ Artur Beterbiev next, and then a rematch with WBA light heavy ruler Dmitry Bivol to become undisputed. Smith also stated that Canelo Alvarez is on his radar.
“{Beterbiev} is what I want,” Smith stated after stopping Steve Geffrard on Saturday night in Verona, NY. “I want to get back in the gym, work on my craft, and like I say each and every time I get in the ring, I’m going to get better and better. I believe the next time you see me, I’ll be ready for anybody.
“If I get Beterbiev and beat him, I want Bivol next to unify all the belts and become unified champ – and then take out the pound-for-pound king.
“If Canelo wants to come to 175 and fight me, I’m ready for him. That’s the fight I want. Everybody would love to see that fight. It would be a big deal.”
Promoter Joe DeGuardia added, “Joe wants the biggest and the best. That’s what he’s looking for. He’ll fight anybody. Beterbiev is out there. Canelo is out there. He’s ready for all of them. We’re ready for the biggest ones.”
I don’t know if Butterbean can make 175?!
Well, if he’s serious about Beterbiev, Bivol, and Canelo…. It’d be a helluva ride. Don’t know if he can beat any of them, but who knows? Honestly, I’d tell him to start with Bivol or Canelo, because Beterbiev can ruin careers.
Regardless, nice to see a guy willing to make big fights.
He already lost wide to Bivol and would lose again. The mad Chechen beats him too. Canelo sees the final bell, so that’s all he needs to do to win.
How bout instead of talking big fights get the powers that be to start making them!!!!
Bivol will repeat. Beterbiev will beat him into submission but this would be the only fight that makes sense and most entertaining. Canelo would also beat him convincingly. I like Smith but he’s not an elite fighter and has been proven.
Beterbiev,Beterbiev..yawn.
Everybody think he is a goat.
He is strong like a bull and scary yes but he is not the best boxer overall and he is stiff as fok.
If he fights Bivol , GGG , Canelo or lets say Benavidez then you can say something but now the boxers he has win ??
Gvozdyk? Brown?
Dont let the 100% KO percent fool you.
You must see deeper in this sport.
To be honest, he clearly lost to Vlasov. He wants big paychecks. Why not calling out some big names? He will probably get it. He also brings more money with him than others. Is it fair? Maybe. Maybe not.
we all want big pay checks
Here’s a guy that knows he was beaten by the best but learned from the defeat to go on and win a title.
I wont run the guy down, he had done well and is looking for a pay day. All the best champ.
Based on his resume why not!!! He has beaten some good names!!!
It’s nice to hear a fighter wanting to fight the best in “his” weight class, and not try to cherry pick a cruiserweight champ no one has ever heard of in order to have a ” belt benefit night” for personal reasons!
Nordic, I don’t like the Cherry picking, but after his last run of fights I’d say Canelo has earned this one. He just completed winning all the belts in “his” weight class! I’d prefer to see him fight Benevidez next, but I’m giving him a pass on this next fight.
Go Joe!!!
One thing I will say for sure for all you fight fans who always say we’ll this guy isn’t no good, and will get beat by this guy,we’ll remember one thing only one can be the best,and saying that any can happen in the right,Joe Smith Jr can fight,and he is having a successful career, and in the end that’s what it’s about, he’s not the best in the light heavyweight division, but he is fun to watch, and who knows one punch can end a fight,so with his power I give him a chance against anyone,so at the end of the day cheer for your fighter I’m for Joe Smith jr,because I lose an underdog.
Everybody would love to see Smith vs Alvarez? Not me, I’m tired seeing Canelo taking the weakest in heavier weight classes to ” make history “. For sure I would love to see Beterbiev vs Alvarez, but soon, not until Beterbiev reach 40.
I see nothing wrong Smith chasing a big payday, he is a decent hard worker of the craft, but too ordinary and not really a popular fighter, good luck to him in pursuing his dreams.
Smith – Beterbiev is the easiest fight to make and it’s an excellent fight. Beterbiev took care of his mandatories in both of his last two fights and they mentioned that Yarde would possibly be willing to step aside to let the fight happen on Smith’s end. No reason not to do that.
That’s a good plan and what we’d WANT those belt holders to do, cheers to him and good luck doing so!
Like Plant, Smith has earned a belt and has the right to ask for bigger fights, with better paydays.
except he fights nothing like plant and is not a left hook fool…like plant. hooking with a hooker when you get caught in every fight by left hooks is the stupidest way to fight. smith has 10 times the heart as plant who basiclly quit against canola. yes he was hurt but didnt try to survive only planning his surrender speech. buster douglas he aint. Joe has earned it and is asking for way more. so i half agree with you. carry on.
I want Beterbiev next…so I could give him this belt lol
Lhvy not deep with few legit contenders but Joe Smith is not even top 5 so he should try to make the PPV money before he is exposed. Chechen moster Betterbiev will crush Joe Smith at least Canelo and Bivol he can go the distance
I agree the Division is bad, but Joe Smith JR not in the top 5 is wrong. The top 2 are clear, but after that there just isn’t much. Outside of the top 2, who beats Joe Smith JR?
I will say, you know the Division is bad when you’re looking down in weight for the best competition (both Canelo and Benevidez probably cleanly beat everyone except the Top 2).
Bring it lol you’ll get payed yes , and you’ll get Ko
if he boxes and punches to beterbievs body, he can win. if he trades too much, he will lose. great fight either way. love me some joe smith.
MaxonBoxing reported a possible Smith-Beterbiev fight in the Garden . Great slugfest with a short ending. Beterbiev WILL stop Smith whose style is made to order. The Chechen is the stronger fighter and far more experienced. He dropped Usyk in the amateurs. Had the fight been a pro one, he might have stopped Usyk!
Smith’s biggest asset is His conditioning and His volume punching virtually EVERY ROUND … However, contrary to popular belief, I question His POWER ? I simply don’t believe, when competing with the “Elites” of the division that He has ELITE POWER ???
Everybody would love to see Beterbiev vs Canelo. Not Smith Jr. vs Canelo, much less interesting for me. For me Beterbiev would knock out Joe Smith Jr …
Bivol would destroy Joe. easy work too.
Any of these fights should be on regular cable TV and not PPV.
Bivol already outboxed Smith handily, Not interested in a repeat.
Same promoter so Smith-Beterbiev seems inevitable. Unless Beterbiev decides to jump to a different promoter again
Hahaha, this guy lost to Vlasov (should say thanks to judges again), lost to Bivol, and now talks about Beterbiev?!
Arthur will stop him with ease, keep talking, pal)
Easy Smith!!
You have to make a mandatory defense against Anthony Yarde before you take any of those 3.
Theres a saying, dont run before you walk.
I like the blood and guts of Joe Smith but he’s like another version of Kelly Pavlik. He has some pop but he’s slow, plodding and pretty much a one trick pony. He wills himself to wins with brute force. He’s for sure a blood and guts warrior as I stated though.
Beterbiev is likely too much for him. I’d love to see the upset!!! Love upsets!! But I don’t see it. Same with Canelo.. Alvarez would put a pasting on him.
Oh no you don’t Joe…