Philly’s Dhafir Smith on Sparring Beterbiev, GGG and Ward!

By Boxing News - 07/03/2022 - Comments

By Ken Hissner: Philly’s Dhafir “No Fear” Smith in viewing the recent Light Heavyweight unification match in which WBC and IBF champ Artur Beterbiev’s stoppage of WBO world champion “The Beast from the East” Joe Smith, Jr. having been in camp with both Beterbiev and Smith he made this statement:

First of all, I want to say congratulations to my Muslim brother Artur Beterbiev. I wasn’t surprised what happened last night in the fight I just didn’t think it would end that early.

I’ve been in over fifty training camps with world champions like WBA and IBF Middleweight world champ Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, WBO Super Middleweight champ Andre Ward twice, WBC Light heavyweight champ Adonis Stevenson and 2-division world champ “King” Arthur Abraham. But to be in the ring with a puncher like Beterbiev is something totally different.

I’m telling you right now that was one training camp (2014) I wanted to be done with, and I was the only sparring partner out there for three weeks, and I can see why and that was in 2014 when he was 6-0 with six knockouts.

No one knew who he was at the time, but I bet everybody knows who he is now, and nobody and I mean nobody, can beat this man. He will retire undefeated with all knockouts because I don’t see nobody going twelve rounds with this man.

I was in camp with Joe Smith, Jr. for four weeks, getting him ready for Sullivan Barrera, and he had a puncher’s chance with anyone. You saw that in the Bernard “Executioner” Hopkins fight.

Smith was in camp with WBC and IBF World Middleweight champ Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, who was preparing for Philly’s “King” Gabe Rosado (2013) and said: It was the toughest training camp I had ever been in. He hits like a heavyweight all over your body.

Smith had been in camp twice with WBO Super Middleweight champ Andre S.O.G. Ward when Ward was preparing for Carl Froch and said: Ward is one of the best skilled and smart boxers I’ve been in with. He is a very good person who would give you the shirt off his back.

Smith had fought Ward in 2007 and was stopped in the sixth round.
I was in camp with WBC Super Middleweight champ Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika, who could fight. I was in camp with IBF Super Middleweight champ Lucian ”Le Tombeur” Bute.

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, and Smith’s record is a perfect example with a 28-26-7 record with four stoppages. His jab is as good as it gets.

Smith’s biggest win was over former Olympian and IBF World Super Middleweight champ Jeff “Left Hook” Lacey in December of 2010 for the UBO Super middleweight title. He’s always been in great shape and has never gotten the win in a close fight.

He’s been in bouts with their then records, Ian Gardner 12-1, Shaun George, 8-0-1, Dawid Kotecki, 15-0, Wayne Johnson, 8-0, Henry Buchanan, 11-0, Artur Shekhmurzov, 10-0-1, Dennis Sharpe, 13-0-1, Andre Ward, 11-0, Cornelius “Da Beast” White, 16-1, Jesus “El Martillo” Gonzalez, 25-1, Kingsley Ikeke, 23-3, Curtis Stevens, 14-1, Adonis Stevenson, 10-0, Jerson Ravelo, 18-3, Marco Periban, 14-0, and Tommy Karpency, 22-4-1.

Smith has held the following titles: Pennsylvania State Light Heavyweight title, WBF All American Light Heavyweight title, and UBO International Super Middleweight title. He trains out of the James Shuler Memorial Gym, 750 N. Brooklyn St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 in West Philadelphia, which is owned and run by his trainer Percy “Buster” Custus.