The Roundtable: Artur Beterbiev's Power vs. Dmitry Bivol's Skill Clash A Classic In The Making

Everyone seems to go in with their style and he gets to you and makes you fight in a phone room 12 three-minute rounds There's a long time to be able to catch somebody with the power that he carries I feel like it is the classic boxer punch type. Why are you favoring him? I think it's a heart and head thing I saw some boxing fans complaining about this card. Are you insane if I were to be that guy? It would be that fight for me. I love the fact that we're finally getting a women's fight and it's a fight that matters It's just frustrating because he does have a profile If I had the energy to do the same thing I would but I can't do it The roundtable crew has been assembled again and we're gonna do a deep dive on I think one of the best fights in years Definitely one of the biggest fights this year I'm talking about Alta Baturbia versus Dimitri Bibel to find out who really is numero uno in the light heavyweight division Darren Barker, Joseph Parker, Ariel Hawane. I'm gonna kind of start backwards here You'll get where I'm going with this one Who is the favorite in this fight, so not who do you think is gonna win the fight, right? We'll get into that conversation. Who is the favorite to win? Do you know I'll probably say Vesibiev. I don't know why Because I don't favor him in this fight I think Bibel wins but some reason I feel that the bookies because of the power that he carries may favor him Yeah, I disagree. I disagree for two reasons. Number one. He's coming off a pretty serious injury So while he has been rehabbing and trying to get back to form Bibel has been active He fought I know lesser competition But he hasn't had to do that and I think that Bibel is the better boxer Baturbiev is the better puncher the harder puncher, but Bibel is the better boxer And so for that reason I favor Bibel. I favor Bibel as well. Yeah Yeah, I feel like he's more precise with his punches and good footwork. They're like off Baturbiev He's very powerful, but he's he is getting old He'll come into his 40s. He's been 39 for like 10 years He's always been this old guy, hasn't he? But then again, he's always looked old. Yeah, it's not like he's all of a sudden aged overnight. I favor Bibel. I like his feet. I think arguably pound for pound free in Footwork department. I think he's that good the way he glides in and out effortlessly And he doesn't do it. He doesn't jump out of range too far He'll make you miss by that much and that much is the difference between Winning or losing. What's a very technical? Yeah, very technical. Quick hands Patient. Will Baturbiev be able to close the gap? I don't know if he'll be able to. Is there not gonna be one time in this fight Potentially this goes 12 rounds and this Baturbiev does what he always does which is knock you out But is there not gonna be a time where Bibel has to engage like his footwork is so good But surely there's gonna be a time when he has to man-o-man it with Baturbiev And that's where the problems could come. 100% and and honestly if this if this was happening in In June when it was supposed to happen originally and and we're coming off of Bibel Arthur I would be saying a completely different thing. I wasn't very impressed with him in that fight I think he regained a lot of our trust and and confidence After how he looked in June, you know that I felt like he was a little lackadaisical I felt like he wasn't engaging. I felt like he was just trying to get the win in that fight on the December 23rd card So yes at some point he is going to be thrown into the fire. And I think that's the big question. What happens when this Mountain of a man is coming at you with those hard punches. How do you how do you respond now? He is great at often eluding those punches and and outboxing the puncher, but I can't wait. That's the big question, right? That's the big question going into this fight better be of is older no doubt about it But doesn't have as much miles as your typical 39 year old right just 20 fights So he doesn't have the wear and tear I am worried like when he got injured in early May we found out about the knee injury. I thought alright, we're probably gonna see these guys in December I'm I'm a little surprised that he's coming back so soon after an injury like that I mean the knee is such an important part and and obviously there's different levels to the surgery that you can have But are you surprised knowing that he had to have surgery back? Yeah, I know what you're saying But I also understand that you can't be waiting around for too long Literally, and we've seen this time and time again Fires can age overnight they can and you just don't know it could happen literally in the space of six months So perhaps they thought you know, we won't be a hundred percent, but we'll be fit enough to compete This wasn't a Riyadh season event. I'm with Ariel. He's he's sitting us out into the new year I almost feel like with these Riyadh season events and I've spoken to a lot of fighters They see the dates obviously the money's a bit more extreme Joseph could maybe speak to that and they're like we've got to take this If this wasn't that he's fighting December. He's fighting January. Maybe even maybe more in October. He's not fine Is this boxer puncher move I feel like it is the classic boxer puncher type Oh, yeah, it's a bit will lay out. He's amateur accolades and say one second. I can box as well I mean, yes people's maybe technically a better boxer, but but Serbia surely more than just a puncher surely He's kind of unorthodox for me. That's a bit of I think the way that he you know He stands his base is a little bit not conventional, but he's well schooled He has the amateur pedigree that has served him really really well when we did the initial press conference almost I once There's this real respects. I feel from Birol towards better beer. I feel I Mean there has been rumors that they sparred and I'm not too sure what happened in Birol would have been the younger at the time obviously but I just sense this real kind of Not so much looking up to better beer. I actually think that to be of looking down to be I think so I think they were obviously both as amateurs in the Russian camp But to be with the senior people was a junior and the seniors just didn't look at the juniors But to be of was the mad I almost feel like he still thinks that's the case now I am the senior here. You're the junior and You know, why are you even on my same playing for it? I almost thought there's an arrogance to both of you I've seen your green share YouTube channel, are you favoring him? Can you I think it's a heart and head thing the heart wants people to win The head says the turbulence gonna make him have a fight that maybe he doesn't want to have I've seen this with the turbulence where everyone seems to go in with their style kind of Smith tried it you know was dick Olympic gold medalist tried it and he gets to you and makes you fight in a phone booth that you don't want to be and I feel like we're gonna see how tough people live because there's gonna be a time with people has to engage. Do you know what? Yeah, that's the standards. You can have to stand and fight to get his respect Well, it's gonna be 12 rounds of the tour. We have walking him down relentless pressure and pressure I think that will be the case, but I think everything's gonna be on bibles terms He's so smart and when he engages when he lets the flurries of shots go though Some of the rounds will be close. I honestly think He's gonna win this comfortably. Oh, come on. Well, I think there's gonna be click that was there's gonna be moments for best of BF And he's always gonna look dangerous gonna be one of those fights I believe will go to distance but it will go like that It will go so quickly because you're on the edge of your seats because at any moment He could switch bills lights out I don't think Bill stops best of BF, but I do think it will be an anonymous decision I love it And I could see it as well Although you kind of flip-flop from the beginning because you did say that better be a no I feel that bookies will have best to be a favorite because of the past because look this is a marathon not a sprint It's 12 rounds 12 three-minute rounds There's a long time to be able to catch somebody with the power that he carries and if your bookies I think the smart money would probably be Back in better beer because you always got a chance from any time in that contest That's why I think the bookies will back that's if you have his favorite I certainly go with bill and you back him as well because of the body of work I mean you remove Canelo 168 guy gun up to 175 You look what perturb you've done body of work Whether it be Marcus Brown Joe Smith Anthony yard, which was a good fight back in the UK Callum Smith But he's put a lot of bodies to sleep. Yeah good bodies as well. Whereas you look at Bibble and Zerdo, yes. Yeah, I still not quite sure about Zerdo Canelo. Obviously the big win in Vegas But but Toby has had the better body of work. I think we've seen the best of better beer I don't think we've seen the best of Bibble and I think the best of Bibble is Arguably the best out me. I will also say better be of is used to being the man on the big stage He fights in in Canada. He's selling out the shows. He's the headliner Bibble sometimes, you know, I think Shies away from the big stage is is fighting, you know Chief support as you say, you know, not necessarily other than the Canelo fight It didn't feel like the show was built around him and let's be honest He was a bit of a bit player against Canelo No, but so there's gonna be a lot of pressure come that fight week better be of is used to that pressure He's used to the spotlight. I'm wondering how Bibble handles all of that. I don't know the occasion against Canelo I mean that it doesn't get much bigger than that does it there was no pressure on him whatsoever, right? That was all about Canelo. The story of that fight was Canelo moving up and and he was just he was a bit player The story wasn't Canelo versus Bibble. It was Canelo trying to go up to 175 and do the business there now This is Bibble better be of it's 50-50. There are hardcore Bibble fans and there are hardcore better be offense And so I'm just curious how he deals with it now I think it actually helps him that it's in Riyadh It's a little bit different than being you know in front of 50,000 people or even 25,000 people in Montreal where better be of is Beloved so I'm just curious how he rises to the occasion I'm backing him as well as much as it pains me to back a Montreal guy George St Pierre I remember many many moons ago who with a great UFC champion was training with better be of and he told me like this Is the guy before he really burst on the scene? He couldn't have spoken more highly about someone and when GSP tells you that about a fighter of any kind you listen And so I have always adored him for that reason but I just think the the boxing the age and the fact that he's been more active and not injured is going to be Huge factors in his in his favor and before I go around the table and give predictions is the winner of this obviously The best light heavyweight of this era this generation, but are we talking one of the best light heavies of all time? the winner of this fight I Mean you all have dance partners, then you know when you look at some of the light heavyweights out there as tremendous fighters They've all that brilliant dance partners You'd have to put them in an argument. You would have to put them in the argument and I look at that on Ability alone. I'll try and look at it as a former boxer when I look at those putting a member of all these former greats How would they fare and you'd have to give them a hell of a chance with the boxing ability of? Bibble you put them in there with most the punching power arguably one of the biggest punches of all time That's a BF. Imagine where to be a versus peak over live. I'd have been that'd be incredible I mean now that's that's what fantasy fight It's not always an undisputed is unbeaten But the winner of this will be unbeaten undisputed and the division has been cleaned up from both of them So I would say okay go around the table who wins how Oh God, I I agree with mr. Barker Bibble decision Yeah Decision the anonymous decision Wow, it's a clean sweep because you know, I'm team Bibble Yeah, that's a clean sweep Bibble to win October 12th great undercard. Yeah as well, by the way, really good on the card It's a shame that we are losing Shakur Stevenson versus Joe Gordina Joe won't be on the card as well Which is a shame, but there's some good fights on the undercard some good I saw some boxing fans complaining about this card. Are you insane? Is that crazy sometimes? I mean, it's just these cards every single one has someone that we are emotionally invested in whether it's just one guy or both I love the fact that we're finally getting a women's fight on one of these cards and it's a fight that matters It's a fight that we wanted to see Skye Nicholson in to see her get tested against someone like Chapman This card is I couldn't believe when I saw people complaining Do you not remember three years ago when you were just getting one fight at the top and a bunch of nothing? This is a great card even without that and you had Shakur they were complaining when Shakur was on there Well, what more do you want? I mean every fought on there probably Could Warren be in the top of the top of the bill and any other card Chris Eubank jr. For me Sarah Mesa, I think is a no-win opponent for me stopped Michael Ofkin and Munguia But he showed out toughy if I were to be that guy the one that moans and tweets out nonsense It wouldn't be that fight for me because Christian because it's not like it's not a challenge or it's not really a said It's a kind of a no-win fight You're supposed to be Camille's aromatic coming up a really good win against Liam Smith. You're not injured. You do live the life You're in great shape. Why we're not going in there against someone really big at 160 That was a while ago. Yeah, it was but he was linked to Canelo Alvarez No, I know you can't be linked to Canelo Alvarez Hamza Shiraz and in fact Camille's. Oh, yeah, you caught you That's my only I agree. You can't be sitting on your hands, you know an active active fights a dangerous fighter time is ticking He does live the life. You're right, but it's just frustrating because he does have a profile. He has a big name He's a big draw what we're seeing now with these read season fights is that it's it's it's one then another it's getting it's getting Us to the but I'm dying to ask you two in particular two questions If I made number one Fraser Clark happening on a on a on a read card not in England a fight that you know Sold out the o2 right a tremendous fight. Do you have a problem with that? No, no, because I know behind the scenes it was actually difficult to put this fight together again for them to go to again And look I'm always fighter first fan very closely second if the fighters are gonna get paid X amount more to fight in Saudi Arabia and We know how vicious that fight was how violent it was take the money. Yeah, take the money So you don't feel like that bridge top I should be like needs to happen. No, no, just fight, please But more to that on you, obviously you can two heavyweights two heavyweights that you know One of them is that your coach as well, by the way It's not me I'm not I'm not gonna do I'm not gonna I'm not gonna do it How dare they right, but who do you think wins that one Wardley Clark? I feel like the first fight was very entertaining very action-packed. I feel like it's gonna be the same I'm leaning towards Wardley again, just I feel like he can improve and Show something different. It might have been him that called you. I can't remember. This is some day might have been I don't He's getting Clark now find it Why does it feel like the British public doesn't love Ben Whittaker as much as the America why is it the American public seems to love him and his clips go viral and then I and then I see the British public and correct me if I'm wrong this is interesting because I think this is where me and you'd have a bit of a Disagreement on this and he's also on this card. By the way, Ben Whittaker is like a little bit I grew up Prince Nassim Hamid It was jumping over ropes and beating up bums if you like sometimes and he was still doing exactly the same thing And I grew a fan of it I loved him and then when he went up a level he still was fighting in the same way a Lot of people said Ben won't do this when he fights the the big names if you like I'm saying you can't start that style fighting the big names. You almost gotta practice it if you like fighting the small names I love it. He's entertaining. There's a reason he's got 2 million Instagram followers. People want to see him fight I'm a big fan of it. I'm a fan of his first and foremost. I think he's brilliant for boxing It's natural it comes natural to him It's not fake and I don't like it when you see these fake personalities come through because they feel that they've got to do it It's natural with Ben Whittaker. My only concern is I know you've got to start In in the lower levels as a professional Showing that you're a showboater if you want to call it that I just I just see it as a little bit of Disrespect, disrespect, glorified bullying, you know, I always think these guys that they're legitimate journeymen They're helping you progress as a fighter They're gonna take their kids to school the next day and you know, you don't know who's watching said Hi, you may you know, your dad looks silly Yesterday it is that for him to to care about. Oh, yeah, he's trying to become I get it I'm just maybe thinking as a former fire and as a father I all mean drop your hands and go to your opponents and things are that but with a tavern at the top of the head I like him. Does it feel like the British public? Doesn't a hundred percent support him because you need to be humble you need you know Hard hat go to go to work Bring your lunch pail that type of thing and they feel like he hasn't earned the right to act this way Maybe maybe but but don't get me wrong. I want him to succeed that you know But I want it to be done in a classy manner. You remember this is a gentleman's sport This is you know, we've always held ourselves Well shoulders back, you know respectful people. There's not many many was in As a current actor box it do you have a problem with it when you see that do you say this is this guy's Oh, yeah problem with it I feel like it's it's confidence and I feel like if I had the energy to do the same thing I would But I can't do it. I'll just have to save it all for you know With everything if he's got he's got the full package if he doesn't there might what's the ceiling in your opinion? Like well world level he can't hundred percent. I believe that you believe that. Yeah, does he need to step back? Does he need to dial it back to get to that point? No, I think continue doing what you're doing and he'll do it against Liam Cameron. He will fight exactly the same way Against these opponent October 12th, but I think he's very special and and he's so indifferent You're either gonna watch him to get chinned. We're gonna watch him to love but you care you can you're invested, right? Very Floyd Mayweather esque also on this card, by the way is one of my favorite fighters the most scariest Boxer I've been around. He's very so intimidating and that's job retire. He takes on Jack Massey We thought it could be Chris Billiams Smith for a unification fighter isn't up at I want to stay busy And he takes on Massey who had a good performance against Isaac Chamberlain. It's up attire 100% in this fight, you know, it's another don't sit on the fence, please It's an opportunity once again proper time to showcase how good he is. I thought the breeders rematch was brilliant They showed how good he was and it was comfortable until the end. I'm the same as you Drives a special fighter. He's got very good footwork and he's very serious about his work He's scared in and out of the ring serious about interviews even interviews if you're sitting around here be very serious I'm like also I Feel like he's so much more popular to like he has just scratched the surface Is he big enough to make a jump to the heavyweight division? I mean I look at someone like you and I say no immediately because you're a big boy right now But we saw obviously only gone to use it do it the comparisons are there Southpaw skilled, etc, etc Is there enough size to put me on his frame? I mean, I'm not saying you versus him or anything I'm just and did you give me that look for the side as well? I'm saying does he have the size? What do you think? I think like I said I think he should try and dominate the cradle of division and get all the belts and then once you've achieved that similar to you So then he can look at making the jump But it does take time to put on proper size and to be a proper heavyweight But you sick has proven that it can be done Well, the fact that you sick is the current champion should give him confidence The problem is the road to you sick is just filled with Giants, right? It's like who's to get the end boss is someone that is relatable size-wise But then it's like this dude Zhang Kohli. Wha? AJ that was fury like they're all gigantic, right? So, I don't know. I don't know if he could possibly sigh That's the problem really and and it's it's it's it's funny for lack of a better word that the the top dog is someone who Is similar to him in terms of you know, the road and the size But the idea of him like standing next to you or stand next to Zhang or you know, all these so small There you go That was fun and it all goes down October 12th live on the zone the one that we've been waiting for for a couple of years finally happens October vs. Dimitri Bibble plus a stellar undercard as well. Make sure you tune in