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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Bernard Barré: "Beterbiev Will Stop Koelling Before The End
Of The Ninth Round"
By Daniel Cloutier
Photos: Top Rank
MONTRÉAL - The man who recruited Artur Beterbiev for the GYM
Group in 2009, Bernard Barré, believes this Montrealer
Russian will become IBF light heavyweight champion of the
world Saturday evening at the Save Mart Arena in Fresno,
California.
Beterbiev (11-0-0), who broke his contract with the GYM
Group two months ago, will face the German Enrico Koelling
(23-1-0) for the vacant 175 pounds IBF world title. The
Californian Andre Ward (32-0-0) gave up this title few weeks
ago, when he confirmied the end of his prestigious boxing
career.
“No doubt in my mind, Artur will become the new IBF light
heavyweight champion of the world Saturday,” said Barré who
is frequently a TV boxing analyst. “ I saw Koelling in
action several times, in the amateurs (Olympics Games in
London) and in pro boxing. He is a good fighter, good
technician, efficient offensively and defensively, but Artur
is better than him over all and stronger puncher than him. I
am positive that Artur will stop him before the end of the
nine round. Artur won all his fights by KO or TKO in pro
boxing, and this great sequence will continue Saturday
evening. I am positive that Artur will keep the statute of
world champion for several years. He is so ambitious and so
determinate to become the king of the light heavyweight
division.”
If Beterbiev becomes IBF champion of the world Saturday, he
will be only one of two champions of the world with only 12 pro
bouts of experience, the other is the Russian Dmitry Bivol,
the WBA light heavyweight champion of the world.
“When Artur had five or six pro bouts of experience, I
mentioned several times he would become soon world
champion”, said Barré. “I did not change my mind. Artur has
an exceptional talent. He is great technically, physically
and strategically. We opposed him to good opponents so far,
and he won all his bouts by KO or TKO. And he hopes
constantly to fight the biggest names on the international
boxing scene. When I saw him win the amateur world
championship in 2009 in Chicago, I knew he would become
eventually pro boxing world champion. It’s why I suggested
to the GYM Group to sign him in 2009. The boxing fans who
don’t know him very well in USA, will certainly be impressed
when they will watch him in action Saturday evening.”
Last year, Beterbiev challenged publicly Ward and the
Russian Sergey Kovalev, with no result.”In spite of his lack
experience, Artur is clearly respected by the stars of the
light heavyweight division,” said Barré. “Ward and Kovalev
knew that Artur was extremely dangerous, with his fantastic
background on the international amateur boxing scene.”
Top Rank Inc. will present this fight. This organization won
the purse bid held by the IBF championship committee a
couple of months ago in New Jersey. This world championship
will be televised in USA by ESPN, and it will also be
televised in Russia.
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