James Scott Jesse Burnett Yaqui Lopez Marvin Johnson John Conteh Eddie Mustafa Victor Galindez Saad Muhammad Dwight Qawii Michael Spinks How many can he beat?
Beterbiev should simply break Scott down. Beterbiev is stronger and heavier handed. Scott'd give him a good fight, buy I don't think he has a great chance of winning. I highly doubt Beterbiev would be that worried about fighting in Rahway jail either. Burnett was the type of guy who could turn up on the right day and give anybody a hard fight. He could Beterbiev, could. That's a long way from actually doing it though. I think AB gets inside too often, and works the body brutally. He'd also have the leverage to push Burnett back. He should grind out a hard fought win. Beterbiev should wallop Yaqui. Something like what Scott did if Scott was a crushing puncher. Not saying it'd be early, as he took Saad and Spinks best for ages, but it'd pretty one-sided IMO, but not without great exchanges I think Lopez would consistently come off worse in those exchanges, though. Pops is my favourite on the list, by far, but I can only really see him beating Beterbiev in a ten rounder. Beterbiev seems to come on strong in the late rounds, whereas Pops' stamina is kind of in question due to the Saad and Mustafa fights. In a war, I can see both being bombed out, but I think over ten, Beterbiev gets out-worked. Over twelve or fifteen, he pulls strong in the late rounds and likely breaks Pops down. Been watching some more John Conteh tonight, but I'm holding off giving an opinion until I've finished. Let's just say I'm not liking Beterbiev's chances here though. Eddie Mustafa Muhammad was brilliant vs swarmer/slugger types. He had that granite jaw, unbreakable heart and when he turned up in shape, brilliant stamina. He'd really chalk out Beterbiev's body, and start using his recklessness against him. Like he did to Pops. Victor Galindez, assuming he makes weight right, is pretty bad for Beterbiev IMO. I think Galindez measures Beterbiev on the way in with that great jab, then nails him with uppercuts on the inside, and brutal body shots off the ropes. Be another great fight, but I think Galindez is way too good off the ropes to be swarmed by somebody who works down the centre line, and is too good (and hard) a counter-puncher to let Beterbiev's crude aggression go unpunished. If you're getting dropped and having to revert to boxing and holding in tear up vs Callum Johnson, you're getting knocked the **** out by Saad Muhammad. It'd undoubtedly be a great fight, but Beterbiev is gonna break well before Saad is. Dwight Qawi vs Beterbiev probably looks like Qawi vs Scott. Qawi's perfect timing and body hooks make Beterbiev fight more like he did in the amateurs, and Qawi's overturns him in the late rounds, picking up points and winning a clear decision where both guys have had success, but Qawi was clearly much better. Not to mention, Qawi would easily out-jab Beterbiev. There's just no-way I can see Beterbiev beating Michael Spinks. Both started slow, but Spinks still tended to control his opponents in the early rounds using his jab, and the ever-present threat of his brutal cross, and Beterbiev likes to take a moment to get a look at somebody before going in. Once it heats up, it's not gonna be long before Beterbiev gets KTFO'd by some huge punch. Beterbiev doesn't even have a good puncher's chance, since Spinks had a brilliant chin at 175.
I dunno what to make of AB. I think he's better than I once gave him credit for, but historically I dont consider him too special. He gets stopped by Spinks, Qawi, Saad, EMM, and Galindez, and I say that with zero hesitation. He has a chance against Pops, but I would favor Johnson. He has a punchers chance with Conteh, but probably gets outclassed. I guess he's the favorite over Lopez, but Yauqi might very well take him apart. I do think Beterbiev beats Scott and Burnett.
Im not sure johnson os quite though enough to last woth beterbiev. And this is coming from someone who think bt is quite overrated
Its hard to tell. AB hasn't fought anybody like Johnson, and to be fair, there's no at 175 like Johnson right now. Its a pretty weak division right now outside of Beterbiev and Bivol.
A couple years ago I had high hopes for the current LHW division, but it went to shit quickly. I don't have high opinions of Beterbiev or Bivol, either. It's in one of its weakest periods ever IMO.
I'm not sold on Beterbiev over a DM or Charles Williams, let alone a Spinks/Qawi/Saad. I would make Beterbiev a lock over a Jeff Harding, Bobby Czyz, Donny Lalonde, thats about it.
Not just not sold on him against Qw//spinks.and .saad. Hed get battered. At the end of the day, his best winwas against grovzdyk, who was lucky to get a geriatric Stevenson. And he didn't look that impressive
