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Artur Beterbiev unifies three light heavyweight belts after stopping Joe Smith Jr in two rounds

Russian boxer Artur Beterbiev

Artur Beterbiev has unified the WBC, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight world titles after finishing off Joe Smith Jr in just two rounds.

Beterbiev dispatched Smith Jr with two left hand blows and a right hand uppercut, on top of two earlier knockdowns, to take his record to 18-0 - all by knockout.

The 37-year-old Chechen-born star is now expected to take on British fighter Anthony Yarde in London this October, but a unification fight with Russia's WBA champion Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light-heavyweight crown is also on the cards.

"I've had two unification fights and unification fights are more interesting," Beterbiev said.

"I prefer to unify. I want to be undisputed."

After the fight the 30-year-old Yarde was asked whether he would step-aside to let Beterbiev fight Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight crown.

"Right now, that's not looking likely. Beterbiev is coming to London, we are going to make it happen," he said.
"I think it's going to be very very exciting, this is what I'm in the sport for.
"It's a lot of money but where I come from, I see it as opportunity to try and make a legacy. Money runs out but legacy lives on forever.
"The preparation will begin intensely as soon as I get back to London. I'll shock a lot of people. I'm quite confident."
British promoter Frank Wareen expects Yarde to fight Beterbiev.
"It's more or less agreed, we're looking to fight [Beterbiev] in October in London. Bob and I have agreed we'll do the fight, but they're going to be ordered [to fight Yarde] anyway. It will be a great fight," Warren told BBC Sport.

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