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Mild-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev knocked out American rival Joe Smith Jr. inside two rounds on Saturday so as to add the WBO title to his WBC and IBF belts.
The unbeaten 37-year-old Canada-based Russian scored three knockdowns and had Smith in serious trouble with just below a minute remaining in spherical two earlier than the battle was stopped.
Beterbiev improves to 18-0 – all by knockout – and may now set his sights on a potential unification battle towards Russia’s WBA champion Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed gentle heavyweight crown.
“Joe is just a little bit open, and it was simpler for me to get him,” Beterbiev stated afterwards, earlier than turning his consideration to the prospect of a battle with Bivol.
“I’ve had two unification fights and unification fights are extra attention-grabbing,” Beterbiev stated.
“I want to unify. I wish to be undisputed.”
Smith, a Lengthy Island native, was reportedly taken to hospital instantly after the bout and didn’t communicate to media. He fell to 28-4 after the fourth defeat of his profession.
The 32-year-old American underdog, who additionally has 22 knockouts on his report, began aggressively however was shortly overwhelmed by his hard-hitting and skilful opponent.
Beterbiev had Smith wobbling within the first spherical, connecting with a sequence of overhand rights.
He had the American on the canvas early in what was dominated a slip slightly than a knockdown.
However he didn’t have lengthy to attend for the primary authentic knockdown of the competition, as soon as once more a clubbing overhand proper forcing Smith to take a standing depend on the finish of the primary.
After beginning the second spherical in comparable vogue, it was solely a query of how lengthy Smith would be capable of cling on.
Beterbiev scored two extra knockdowns early within the spherical, nearly sending Smith by way of the ropes with a flurry of vicious pictures.
He then uncorked a lethal mixture of left uppercuts and a proper to scramble Smith’s senses additional, leaving referee Harvey Dock no possibility however to name it off.
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