Montreal Gazette ePaper

BELL CENTRE TITLE FIGHT

Homecoming for Beterbiev

HERB ZURKOWSKY hzurkowsky@postmedia.com twitter.com/herbzurkowsky1

Montreal is home for world light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev, but the opportunities to fight in front of his hometown fans have been scarce.

That's why his coming title defence against American Marcus Browne holds special significance. Beterbiev, who has won each of his 16 bouts by knockout, meets Browne (24-1, 16 KOS) in the 12-round main event of a Dec. 17 Bell Centre card.

“Even though I wasn't born here, it's still my hometown,” said Beterbiev, a native of Khasavyurt in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, who adopted Montreal upon turning pro in 2013. “It's been a long time since I had the chance to fight here.

I've lived here almost nine years. This is home for my family, a home fight and I feel like I'm home.”

Also on the card are Montreal boxers Kim Clavel and Marie-eve Dicaire — and both are fighting for world titles. Clavel, who returned to nursing during the early stages of the COVID -19 pandemic, meets Yesenia Gomez, while Dicaire faces Cynthia Lozano.

Beterbiev, 36, last stepped into the Bell Centre ring in June 2016, and hasn't fought in the province since December of that year, on a card in Gatineau.

But much has transpired in his career since then. In 2017, Beterbiev captured the vacant International Boxing Federation title with a 12th-round stoppage of Enrico Kolling in Fresno, Calif. In 2019,

Beterbiev added the World Boxing Council's 175-pound title, scoring a 10th-round technical knockout against Oleksandr Gvozdyk in Philadelphia.

Beterbiev fulfilled one of his ambitions last March, when he defended the titles against Adam Deines in Moscow. And he wants to do likewise in Montreal. Beterbiev has been preparing for the bout for eight weeks. Logistics aside, trainer Marc Ramsay has noticed Beterbiev is approaching the fight — one that has taken on added significance — differently.

“This is something he wanted to do,” Ramsay said before Wednesday's training session at his northend Ramsay Boxing Academy. “Fighting in Russia was a dream for him; going back with his belts and defending in front of his native people. Now, he wants to come back here for many reasons. He did a couple of his first fights in Montreal, and that was very important

for him. Also, it's easier for us as a team to organize training camp in Montreal.”

In August, the WBC ordered the mandatory defence against topranked Browne. Beterbiev's promoter, Top Rank, won the purse bid of Us$1.005-million, of which the champ receives 70 per cent.

While Beterbiev is arguably the greatest of many world-class boxers Quebec has produced, he might be a virtual unknown in Montreal, given his absence. That's why it was important for co-promoter Yvon Michel to include Clavel and Dicaire to boost ticket sales. Michel is Beterbiev's former promoter. Michel and Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum have previously worked together.

Beterbiev's known for his devastating power and often recognized as one of the sport's best pound-for-pound fighters. But after defeating Gvozdyk, he went 17 months without a bout. Beterbiev suffered a rib injury, then tested positive for COVID-19.

Ramsay said Beterbiev can do more than just punch and offers a complete package.

“The first thing you see is power, but he's way more sophisticated,” he said. “He knows how to box and his technique's good.”

Nonetheless, Browne, of Staten Island, N.Y., could prove to be Beterbiev's toughest opponent. He's a southpaw and, at six-foot-two, will carry a two-inch height and three-inch reach advantage into the ring. Browne might possess the best hand speed in the division while effectively utilizing footwork to his advantage.

Browne, 30, has never challenged for a title. In January 2019, he captured a unanimous decision over former champion Badou Jack. But in August of that year, Browne suffered his only professional loss, to Laval's Jean Pascal, a former world champ. Browne was trailing by one point on all three judges' scorecards when the ringside physician stopped the fight in the eighth round after Browne suffered a severe cut. Pascal was given a technical decision.

Michel anticipates ticket sales should reach between 4,000 and 5,000.

Spectators must display proof of being fully vaccinated. The boxers and their trainers will be in quarantine at their hotel 48 hours before the card and will be tested for COVID-19 the morning of the weigh-in.

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2021-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

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