By Jim Calfa: Marcus Browne believes he’s ready to pull off the upset against IBF/WBC light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev this Friday night on December 17th on ESPN+ at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. The card begins at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
Beterbiev and Brown had very little to say during Wednesday’s final press conference. Indeed, they both said a few words when it came time for them to discuss their fight for Friday night.
A loss for Beterbiev on Friday would derail his chances for a fight against Canelo Alvarez, who is interested in capturing the four titles in the division.
Some believe that the only thing holding Canelo back from going after the belts at 175 is the danger Beterbiev presents to him.
But if Browne can take care of Canelo’s problem by defeating Beterbiev, it could hasten his move to after the belts.
It would be a dream come true for Browne, getting a massive payday fight against Canelo after an upset win over the #1 fighter in the 175lb division in Beterbiev.
Marcus Browne believes he can win
The 2012 U.S Olympian Browne (24-1, 16 KOs) possesses the height, reach, speed, and boxing skills required to defeat the 5’11” unbeaten two-time Russian Olympian Beterbiev (16-0, 16 KOs).
We don’t know if Browne can take the power shots that Beterbiev will be dishing out. Beterbiev, 36, has the kind of power to end the fight at a moment’s notice if he lands one of his big shots to the head of the 31-year-old Browne.
“We trained hard for the fight. He’s a tough customer, but on Friday night, we are changing the narrative,” said Marcus Browne.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe, and come Friday night, you will see. I’m tired of talking. I want to fight,” said a motivated Browne.
Earlier this year, in April, Browne beat Denis Grachev by a ten unanimous decision in coming back from a loss to former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal from August 2019.
Browne suffered a cut from a headbutt in his clash with the heavily muscled Pascal, and the fight was halted shortly after that in the eighth round. Pascal wound up winning by an eight round technical decision.
Beterbiev well-prepared
“We are ready. We had a good training camp, and I am ready to show my best on Friday night,” said Beterbiev.
In Beterbiev’s last fight, he defeated Adam Deines by a 10th round knockout last March in Moscow, Russia. Beterbiev was coming off a year and a half layoff after suffering injuries and a COVID-19 illness in the previous year.
After Beterbiev’s huge 10th round knockout win over WBC 175lb champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019, he would take advantage of his victory stay busy in 2020 for some important fights.
Unfortunately, injuries and an illness upset Beterbiev’s plans, keeping him out of the ring until his fight against Deines last March.
Browne’s trainer James ready for victory
“I found out when we got here that Marcus was a huge underdog, and we embrace that,” said Browne’s trainer Derrick James. “This will be a historic fight. After Marcus wins the title, it will make me the only trainer in history.
“I know who I am. I know Marcus will do what I ask him to do. He was already a good fighter when he came to me, and I just helped him build on that. I believe in myself, and I believe in Marcus,” said Derrick.
Browne will need to show better defense against Beterbiev than he did in his loss to Pascal if he wants to win the fight because he’s not going to last long if he allows the Russian fighter to land his best shots on Friday night.
