Artur Beterbiev batters Callum Smith in ruthless knockout as Brit’s trainer climbs into ring to end fight
Artur Beterbiev knocked out Callum Smith in a savage statement on Saturday night.
The Brit's trainer Buddy McGirt climbed into the ring after seeing his man floored twice in round seven and the fight was called to a halt, meaning the champion successfully defended his WBC, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight world titles.
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The contest got off to a fast start as Beterbiev began to maul Smith against the ropes in the opening seconds.
The Brit weathered this early storm with little trouble and settled into the bout, beginning to land his own punches.
In round two though, Beterbiev continued to control the tempo.
He had little trouble evading Smith's jab and rendered his height and reach advantages irrelevant.
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The challenger was not overawed and remained competitive early on, but was clearly being outlanded and felt the full force of the champion's powerful jab on multiple occasions.
By the end of the third, Smith's right eye was beginning to swell and he was bloodied from the nose.
Round four was another rough session for the Brit as Beterbiev had him clearly hurt, landing consistently and with accuracy as he battered him against the ropes.
As they hit the halfway point, the champion was firmly in command while the challenger only had brief moments of success.
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It appeared the writing was on the wall and, in round seven, this proved to be the case.
Beterbiev nailed Smith with a stunning overhand right which put him on wobbly legs.
He then put together a ruthless combination which floored the Brit against the ropes - the first knockdown of his career.
Smith made it back to his feet, but was clearly still badly hurt.
Beterbiev pursued him again and smashed him to the canvas once more.
This time, Smith's coach Buddy McGirt decided he'd seen enough and climbed into the ring to end the fight.
In his post-win interview, Beterbiev was asked directly if he wants to fight WBA light-heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol in an undisputed clash next.
He replied: "Yes of course, I need the fourth belt. It would mean in this category, I have done it. It means a lot for me. It's the top."
It's already known that Bivol has signed his side of a deal for this fight to happen in Saudi Arabia later this year, so now attention will turn to negotiating a pact for Beterbiev to do the same.
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