Artur Beterbiev has been warned that he has not faced power like Callum Smith’s before ahead of their showdown in Canada this weekend.
Smith was set to challenge Beterbiev in August, but the champion suffered a jaw infection, meaning the 33-year-old has had to wait for his chance to become a two-weight world champion.
But Beterbiev will now put his IBF, WBO and WBC light-heavyweight titles on the line against Smith at the Videotron Centre in Quebec, live on Sky Sports, in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Beterbiev has been unrelenting and gone unbeaten as a professional, compiling a 19-0 record with 19 knockouts. But according to Callum’s older brother, Paul, his younger sibling’s 'explosive' power could stop the champion in the opening stages of the fight.
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"I think everyone knows in the boxing world, he's 100 percent got the tools to do it," he told Sky Sports.
"If you've seen Callum fight, you'll know he's a massive live underdog in this fight, even though he's the underdog.
“For us, it's a fight that he wins and wins well, and I think if you hit as hard as Callum, technically, he's exceptional. His non-punching hand is the key in this fight.
“When Beterbiev lets his shots go, he's wide open, in my opinion and a lot of other people's opinion. He's a devastating puncher, he's a monster, he's never been the distance, he's knocked everyone out he's faced, but he's 39 years of age. That's a couple of years younger than me, and, to be honest with you, I feel like I'm falling apart.
"We're not banking on that catching up with him; we're confident of Callum doing
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