BETERBIEV VS. SMITH JR. FIGHT RESULTS
• Artur Beterbiev 175 vs. Joe Smith Jr. 174.6
(WBC/IBF/WBO Light Heavyweight World Titles — 12 Rounds)
All hail, King Artur, the three-belt light heavyweight champion. WBC/IBF ruler Artur Beterbiev (18-0, 18 KOs) stopped Joe Smith Jr. (28-4, 22 KOs) in the second round Saturday evening at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Beterbiev knocked down Smith three times during the one-sided beatdown, picking up Smith’s WBO belt and moving one step closer to fully unifying the division.
Beterbiev dropped Smith with a clubbing right hand in the closing seconds of the opening round. Things got worse for the Long Island native in the second, as a left hook nearly sent Smith through the ropes. He rose to his feet, but the end was near. A pair of uppercuts, followed by a sweeping right hand left referee Harvey Dock no choice but to stop the fight.
“My coach told me it’s not too far until I become a good boxer,” Beterbiev said. “Joe’s a little bit open, and it was more easy for me to get him. {Both of us} have a good punch, and both tried to {connect} first. I’m lucky that I was first.”
Sitting ringside was British contender Anthony Yarde, who may be in line for a shot at Beterbiev this fall. Beterbiev’s preference is a fight with WBA champion Dmitry Bivol, who recently defeated Canelo Alvarez.
“Unification fights are more interesting, more motivating,” Beterbiev said. “I prefer unification fight. I want to be undisputed.”
• Robeisy Ramirez 125.8 lbs vs. Abraham Nova 125.4 lbs
(Vacant USBA and WBO Global Featherweight Titles — 10 Rounds)
Cuban southpaw star Robeisy Ramirez (10-1, 6 KOs) announced his presence as a featherweight contender in a big way with an even bigger left hand. Ramirez knocked out the previously unbeaten Abraham Nova (21-1, 15 KOs) in the fifth round to pick up the USBA and WBO Global belts. Ramirez, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, feinted with a right hand to the body and then came over the top with left that separated Nova from his senses.
Ramirez said, “It was all about the strategy. I’m blessed to work with Ismael Salas, who is a genius in my corner. It really was about setting up that shot. If you watch the fight, it was about working, tapping the body until that opening was created. I knew he was dangerous, so I had to be careful, but when I saw my opening, I took it and I finished the fight.”
(ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)
• Bruce Carrington 127.4 lbs vs. Adrian Leyva 127.4 lbs
(Featherweight— 6 Rounds)
Bruce Carrington (4-0, 3 KOs) RTD 5 Adrian Leyva (3-3-1, 1 KO). Carrington, the latest fistic prodigy from Brownsville, Brooklyn, authored a power punching clinic that forced Leyva to remain on his stool following the fifth round.
He landed 69 of 121 power shots, including 11 of 17 in the fifth round. Leyva entered the fight riding a four-bout unbeaten streak.
• Jahi Tucker 147.8 lbs vs. D’Andre Smith 147.6 lbs
(Welterweight — 6 Rounds)
Jahi Tucker gets stoppage number five of his career, taking out D’Andre Smith via TKO in Round 4.
• Floyd Diaz 121.6 lbs vs. Daniil Platonovschi 122 lbs
(Junior Featherweight — 6 Rounds)
Floyd Diaz defeats Daniil Platonovschi with six-round unanimous decision. Scores were 60-54 twice and 59-55 for Diaz.
• Troy Isley 158.6 lbs vs. Donte Stubbs 161.6 lbs
(Middleweight— 6 Rounds)
Troy Isley delivered a masterful performance against showboat Donte Stubbs, predominantly behind high-level boxing. But, much to the crowds delight, Isley finished the fight with a big knockout. Isley took the victory via TKO in the sixth and final round to improve to 6-0.
• Wendy Toussaint 152.2 lbs vs. Asinia Byfield 152.8 lbs
(Junior Middleweight — 8 Rounds)
Wendy Toussaint takes the victory over Asinia Byfield via unanimous decision with scores of 79-73, three times for Toussaint.
• Jahyae Brown 153.2 lbs vs. Keane McMahon 152.6 lbs
(Junior Middleweight — 6 Rounds)
Jahyae Brown defeats Keane McMahon to remain unbeaten and improve to 11-0.
Photos by Marilyn Paulino/Round By Round Boxing
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