Top Five Artur Beterbiev Knockouts Ahead of Dmitry Bivol Showdown

Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) will finally meet Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) on October 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the undisputed light heavyweight crown. It’s a stacked undercard supporting this fascinating main event. Ahead of this intriguing bout, Big Fight Weekend are looking at the five most memorable knockout wins from Beterbiev.

Most Explosive Artur Beterbiev Knockouts Leading to Dmitry Bivol Clash

Relive Artur Beterbiev vs. Tavoris Cloud Before Bivol Clash

On September 27, 2014, at Bell Centre, Montreal, Beterbiev took on Tavoris Cloud, who had mixed at a high level against Glen Johnson, Bernard Hopkins and Adonis Stevenson.

In only his sixth professional fight, Beterbiev destroyed Cloud, knocking him down three times in a nightmare first round. Round two was more of the same, trapping the American fighter – unloading a vicious combination, followed by a brutal left hook that sent Cloud crashing to the canvas, unable to beat the count.

Oleksandr Gvozdyk

Beterbiev vs. Olekdsandr Gvozdyk took place on Oct. 18, 2019 at the Liacouras Center, Philadelphia. Both were undefeated, with Beterbiev depending his IBF crown against Olympic bronze medallist and WBC titlist Gvozdyk. It was expected to be the toughest assignment for the Russian-born fighter whose constant pressure tactics began to wear down his Ukrainian opponent.

In round 10, Beterbiev got to his man, knocking him down three times, winning by TKO and becoming the new unified light heavyweight champion.

Joe Smith Jr.

WBO champion Joe Smith Jr. faced unified light heavyweight champion Beterbiev on June 18, 2022, at Madison Square Garden Theatre, New York. Smith was known as a heavy-handed fighter and went in to face the Russian head-on.

This was not the best idea, as Beterbiev knocked him down in round one before two further knockdowns in round two. The referee soon called a halt to the proceedings after a sustained barrage of punches from Beterbiev, giving him the second-round TKO victory.

Anthony Yarde

On January 28, 2023, at Wembley Arena in London, Beterbiev endured one of his toughest tests, as Anthony Yarde boxed diligently and picked his punches well and with venom, which seemed to trouble the Russian. The relentless pressure from Beterbiev eventually wore down his opponent, and he landed a counter right hand which floored the Brit in round eight.

Referee Steve Gray seemed prepared to let the bout continue but Yarde’s team quickly threw the towel in. At the time of the stoppage, the fearsome Russian was down 68–65 and 67–66 on two scorecards. It was tough for Beterbiev, but he showed just how relentless he is.

Callum Smith

At Centre Videotron, Quebec City, Beterbiev met Liverpudlian challenger Callum Smith in what was expected to be a big challenge for the fearsome Russian. Smith soon settled, but it didn’t take Beterbiev long to get on top, and in the fourth round, he landed several eye-catching shots, mixing up his attacks well. Despite firing back, Smith began to mark up rapidly under his eyes.

A beautifully timed counter right connected with the top of Smith’s head – having an obvious effect. Beterbiev pounced on this, landing a flurry of heavy shots to the head and body of Smith, leaving the Liverpudlian slumped on the canvas. Despite beating the count, he was floored again, which resulted in Smith’s trainer Buddy McGirt telling the ref he was pulling his fighter out.

Stay with Big Fight Weekend for coverage of the impending fight between Bivol and Beterbiev, including results and video highlights, and post-fight analysis.