Via Ken Hissner: Let’s see who this writer feels are two of the best 4 Pound boxers in the world right now.
Undefeated WBC, WBO and IBF World Lightweight Champion Artur Beterbiev scored his eighteenth consecutive goal last month to claim the IBF World title from champion Joe Smith, Jr., lifting his record. he’s up 18-0. He completely overpowered Smith in 2:19 of the second round scoring a pair of kills.
Coming from Beterbiev as an amateur, 96-10 fights for his native Russia. At the age of 21 in 2006, Beterbiev defeated the future Ukrainian pro Ismayl Sillakh in 2 rounds; Thabiso Mchunu of South Africa and Yuniel Dortico of Cuba in the first round, who became the WBA Cruiserweight champions.
In 2009 Beterbiev won the World Amateur Championship in Milan, Italy and in 2010 the European Championship in Moscow, Russia. In 2011 at the world championship, he won his first two fights before losing to current IBF world heavyweight champion Aleksandr Usyk 17-13 in Baku, AZ and again at the 2012 Olympics. with the same score in London, United Kingdom, Olympic with the same score.
After turning pro, Betterbiev moved to Montreal, Canada. In his sixth bout, he claimed the vacant NABA title, knocking out former IBF world lightweight champion Tavoris Cloud, 24-2. Next, he knocked out Jeff Page, Jr., 15-0. He then knocked out former IBF lightweight champion, Gabriel Campillo, 25-6-1. All of these fights took place in Montreal, Canada.
In June 2015, Beterbiev made his US debut when he saved 16-2-year-old Alexander Johnson from winning the WBO International title in Chicago. He watched the saves of two Argentine boxers Ezeqiel Maderna, 23-2, and Isidro Ranoni, 26-1-3.
Impressive wins then see Beteriev stop Germany’s Enrico Koelling, 23-1, UK’s Callum ‘The One’ Johnson, 17-0, Bosnia’s Radivoje Kalajdzic, 24-1, Ukraine’s Oleksandr Gvozdyk, 17 -0, Russia eliminated Germany Adam Deines, 19 -1-1, two Marcus Browne of the United States, 24-1, and Joe Smith, Jr., 28-3.
Let’s take a look back at IBF and WBC Bantamweight champion and WBA World Super Bantamweight champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue from his 14-5 amateur per box rec. In 2011 Inoue won the President’s Cup in Indonesia.
Inoue turned pro in October 2012, winning his first three rounds by stopping before winning the Japan Boxing Commission Flyweight championship defeating Ryoichi, 18-1-1. In his sixth match, he won the WBC World Light Flyweight belt when he stopped Adrian “Big Bang” Hernandez, 29-2-1, of Mexico. Two fights later he stopped former WBO Flyweight and Super Flyweight champion Omar “El Huracan” Narvaez, 43-1-2.
Two matches later Inoue won the WBO World Super Flyweight title against Warlito Parrenas, 24-6-1, of the Philippines. Five defenses later, he made his U.S. debut to stop Antonio Nieves, 17-1-2, in California. Over the next four bouts, he stopped Yoan “Yo Boy” Boyeaux of France, 41-4, WBA Bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell of Great Britain, 29-2-1, Juan “Baby Pacquiao” Carlos Payano of the Dominican, 20-1, Emmanuel “Manny of Puerto Rico” Rodriguez, 19-0, in the United Kingdom, former 4th Nonitro World Champion“ The Filipino Flash ”Donaire, 40-5, and again four match later. In between, he stopped Jason “Mayhem” Moloney, 21-1, of Great Britain, Michael Dasmarinas, 30-2-1, of the Philippines, Aran Dipaen, 12-1, of Thailand, and in the match his last with Donaire in June.
