Gennady Golovkin? Guillermo Rigondeaux? Artur Beterbiev? Just who is the most avoided fighter in the world today?
In light of the breaking news story that tells us how the scheduled, hoped for, IBF final elimination bout between 175-pounders Beterbiev and Sullivan Barrera is now off, we can only assume it’s probably the latter.
One of the most excitingly powerful fighters in boxing today, unbeaten Russian terror Artur Beterbiev is now just one win away from a shot at a world title. The 11-0(11) banger has announced on his twitter page how he will face Sullivan Barrera of Cuba in a final eliminator for the IBF light-heavyweight title (currently held by Andre Ward; Ward having to fight his return bout with Sergey Kovalev in his next bout) on April 21 in Miami, Florida.
According to various reports, along with Artur Beterbiev’s twitter page, Beterbiev and Sullivan Barrera will clash in an IBF light-heavyweight eliminator – the winner to challenge Andre Ward (if Ward doesn’t retire, as he has suggested might be the case).
There is no date or venue yet and the fight has not been officially announced, but Barrera has tweeted how he wants the fight – even stating how he cannot understand why other fighters have swerved the unbeaten Russian banger – and Beterbiev has tweeted that Barrera has agreed to face him.
Light heavyweight contender Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (17-1, 14 KOs) was no match for Sullivan Barrera (18-1, 13 KOs) in getting knocked down three times and halted in the 7th round tonight at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. The 29-year-old Shabranskyy was flattened with a right hand in the 7th. The fight was stopped by the referee after that knockdown. The match was stopped at 2:05 of round five. Shabranskyy was also on the canvas in the 1st and the 5th. Barrera was knocked down in the 2nd.
Cuban stand out Sullivan Barrera (18-1, 13 KOs) pulled an upset over Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-1, 14 KOs) in a slugfest for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight title at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. before a nearly sold-out crowd and televised on HBO Latino. The fight lasted until the seventh round, where Shabranskyy’s team waved the white towel at the 2:05 mark.
“Of course we would never expect this,” said Vyacheslav Shabranskyy. “We will decide next steps after we get over this.”
Former Two-Division World Champion and Future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins(55-7-2, 32 KOs) and Light Heavyweight Contender Joe Smith Jr. (22-1, 18 KOs) today hosted a Los Angeles press conference to discuss their 12-round battle set for December 17 at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. and to be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Also, in attendance for this press conference was Los Angeles-based undefeated Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) as he takes on Cuban standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) for a 10-round bout for Shabranskyy’s WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight title on HBO Latino® Boxing on Friday, December 16 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Also rounding out the HBO Latino® Boxing card, was Former WBC Silver featherweight titlist Ronny Rios (26-1, 11 KOs) against Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (12-1-2, 6 KOs).
Andre SOG Ward (28-0-0 15KO) of the Saturday night fight at the Oracle, Oakland, CA will have a difficult time with Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (29-0-1 26KO). By his own admission, he graded his performance a B- grade. Most would agree, anyone coming up against the devastating power of the Krusher better bring his A game.
Ward was correct. He looked like a B grade movie, a low budget one that does not inspire the need for a sequel. Still, it was good enough for a unanimous decision over the Cuban Sullivan Barrera (17-0-0 12KO). Essentially, Ward outworked the undefeated defector, who now trains out of Miami, FL.
Andre Ward couldn’t have scripted his 175 pound debut any better if he tried. The former king of the super middleweight division has officially busted onto the scene of his new weight class, and he did so in style by dominating Sullivan Barrera. Ward proved himself an immediate force at light heavyweight by thoroughly outclassing the Cuban boxer, who was the #1 contender for Sergey Kovalev’s IBF championship entering the contest. Ward was awarded a unanimous decision victory.
Andre Ward (29-0) fought for the first time in the light heavyweight division and outpointed Sullivan Barrera (17-1) bumping him off the mandatory challenger spot for the IBF title held by Sergey Kovalev. The Russian watched the fight from ringside and apparently happy at what he witnessed, he stated he wants to fight Ward in the same venue in front of Andre’s home crowd. He had at least two reasons to be happy, first Ward won as expected and cleared the path for the mega fight. Secondly, Ward’s performance, although victorious, indicated he does not belong in this weight class or at least not on top of it, he simply does not have the fire power and physical strength for it.
In an example of perfect match-making, Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) was able to beat the much slower made to order Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision tonight on HBO in his hometown at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. It was the perfect opponent for Ward to look good against because Barrera didn’t have the hand speed to give Ward a real test like Adonis Stevenson or one of the other far superior light heavyweights.