“He’s kind of this stoic, quiet guy, but he has an aura about him. It created a sense of urgency and what you saw was the fighter recognize the situation, change gears and do what he had to do. “That gash was so severe and the referee told him he’d give him one more round. “When you look at the elite fighters, when they have to hit that next gear and step on it, it overwhelms you, and you see it and say, ‘Oh my God! Where did that come from?’” he said. Top Rank president Todd duBoef said Beterbiev showed the trait that defines so many of the game’s legends. It’s at moments like this which often provide the best insight into a fighter. It’s easy when you’re more talented and more powerful than nearly everyone you face, and things are going your way all the time.
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(Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Beterbiev looked like a superstar from the moment the fight resumed after the cut until a battered, beaten wearied Browne could no longer go on in the ninth.Īrtur Beterbiev celebrates a win over Adam Deines (not seen) at Megasport Arena, in Moscow, Russia on March 20, 2021. Browne was no longer able to use his length and keep Beterbiev on the end of his punches. The focus, the ferocity and the intensity ramped up and Beterbiev looked like a different man after the cut. Beterbiev was given one more round.Īnd at that point, we saw the real Artur Beterbiev emerge. It was the kind of deep, wide cut that will cause many doctors to stop the bout on the spot.
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It opened a massive cut on Beterbiev’s forehead between his eyes. As he threw a punch, Browne moved his head left and there was an inadvertent clash of heads. Browne had his arms on Beterbiev and his head was on Beterbiev’s chest. The fight changed in the fourth in what was perhaps the lowest point of his career.Ībout 40 seconds into the fourth, Beterbiev was backing up as Browne moved forward toward the center. After three rounds, Browne was ahead on the scorecards and looking very much like he was capable of pulling an upset. Beterbiev got off to a slow start, and Browne got off to a quick one.