King Artur returns: Beterbiev defends the United Lightweight Crown against top contender Marcus Browne on December 17 at Montreal’s Bell Center and LIVE on ESPN+
Marie-Eve Dicaire and Kim Clavel also featured in world title fights as part of The Boxing Triple Crown in Montreal – Click here to buy tickets!
WBC/IBF unified lightweight world champion Artur Beterbiev moved to Montreal nearly a decade ago to begin his professional journey following a pair of Olympic landings for his native Russia. Sixteen fights in his career, he will return to his adopted hometown for the first time as world champion.
Beterbiev, boxing’s only world champion with a 100% knockout, will defend his world title against WBC No. 1 contender and 2012 US track athlete Marcus Browne on Friday the 17th. December at the Bell Center in Montreal.
Beterbiev-Browne will title a trio of world titles that will be streamed and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+. undefeated lightweight lightweight contender Kim Clavel will challenge for the WBC belt, while former IBF junior middleweight world champion Marie-Eve Dicaire will attempt to regain her crown. Full details of the fight between Clavel and Dicaire will be announced shortly.
Promoted by Top Rated and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), ticket will go on sale on Saturday, October 23 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased by visiting ticketmaster.ca or emailing GYM’s office directly at info@classeyvonmichel.ca.
“Artur Betterbiev has built a huge fan base in Montreal and we wanted to give him the opportunity to defend his title in his adopted hometown,” said Top Rank president, Bob Arum said. “Marcus Browne is a worthy challenger, a big boxer with a high boxing IQ. But I believe Artur is the top light heavyweight in the world and, as usual, will finish the fight before the final ring. ”
“I want to thank Bob Arum and Yvon Michel for bringing this event to Montreal. It is my dream to defend my title in front of the fans who have supported me throughout my professional career,” said Betterbiev. “I look forward to defending my title in a dominating style.”
“This is the moment in my life that I’ve been waiting for and I’m ready to make the most of it,” Browne said. “I know exactly what I have to do to get the title from Betterbiev and that is what I will do.
“Beterbiev is the champion to avoid the most. He’s a great fighter, doesn’t make many mistakes and is super strong. But I’m the better fighter and I’m here to show it on December 17. So to my fans, know that I’m back and I’m here to stay. No controversial losses, no distractions, just straight work. ”
“We are so proud that we are giving this wonderful Christmas gift to the people of Quebe Cancer! Artur Beterbiev is perhaps the greatest boxer in Canadian boxing history, and it is an honor to have him join us in defending these two world titles,” said Yvon Michel, President of GYM. “Also, we will make this event a historic one, as we have three world championship matches. Marie-Eve Dicaire is determined to get her title back, and the charismatic Kim Clavel is on her way to claim the WBC lightweight flyweight crown. December 17 is one of the biggest international boxing events ever to hit Canada, a real bright spot after the months-long pandemic. I would like to thank Artur Beterbiev, Bob Arum and Top Rank for their trust. ”
Beterbiev (16-0, 16 KOs) last fought in Canada in December 2016, a first-round make up match against Isidro Ranoni Prieto. He won the vacant IBF world title in his next bout, which he defended twice before unifying the titles with a brutal 10th round offset against the longtime WBC king. year Oleksandr Gvozdyk. After a nearly 18-month absence, Beterbiev returned in March with a 10th round TKO against Adam Deines in Moscow. Browne (24-1, 16 KOs), 30, from Staten Island, New York, won the interim world championship in January 2019 with a unanimous decision victory over the two-division world champion Badou Jack scales. After dropping a technical decision for Jean Pascal in August 2019, Browne returned to his victory on April 20 with the decision to remove Denis Grachev.
