According to the latest media news, the 175-pound united battle between the current WBC/IBF light heavyweight champion Russian Artur Beitbiev (17-0, 17KO) and the current WBO light heavyweight boxer Joe Smith Jr. (28-3, 21KO) has been finalized, and the two will start a battle on June 18 at Madison's Garden Square in New York, ESPN live.
The 37-year-old Bertbiev currently has a professional record of 17 wins, 17 KO opponents, and has successfully defended the light heavyweight champion gold belt five times. Bertbiev is 1.82 meters tall, with an arm span of 1.85 meters, and has an amazing KO rate of 100%, but the quality of the game is not high, only 1 active boxing champion and 2 former boxers have been defeated. However, Betbeev has a heavy punch in both hands, and whoever plays with him is threatened by KO.
Joe Smith Jr., 32, currently has a professional record of 28 wins and 3 losses, with 21 KO opponents. Joe Smith Jr. beat Russian Varasov in a controversial spot last April to win the vacant WBO light heavyweight champion and successfully defended the title once with Jeffrad in round 9 this january. Joe Smith Jr. has KO Bernard Hopkins and Ered Avarez, two former world boxing champions, but the points are basically lost to Beaver, and the technology is not comprehensive enough.
If Avarez (57-1-2, 39KO) beats WBA light heavyweight super boxer Biver (19-0, 11KO) in May this year, it is expected to fight the winner of the two men in a 175-pound ultimate united battle at the end of this year or next May.