Paulie Malignaggi’s take on the Artur Beterbiev vs Callum Smith fight is simple — two men with “pump shotguns,” and one’s walking out with holes. The ProBox TV analyst sees it as a brutal meeting of power, precision, and pressure when they collide this Saturday, January 13, at Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada.
Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs), the unified IBF, WBC, and WBO light heavyweight king, hasn’t gone the distance once in his career. Malignaggi calls him a “stalking killer,” the kind who hunts and breaks opponents down bit by bit. Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs), meanwhile, has the kind of one-punch power that could flip everything on its head — but inactivity might cost him.
“They’re Basically Pump Shotguns”
“They’re both punchers,” Malignaggi told ProBox TV. “Callum’s come up to light heavyweight and proven his power. They’re basically pump shotguns. They punch holes in you.”
He added that while Beterbiev’s defense has slipped — “he’s susceptible, we’ve seen him go down” — the Russian remains relentless. The danger for Smith isn’t just Beterbiev’s raw power; it’s the constant pressure that forces mistakes. “He gets through you,” Paulie said flatly.
Smith, 33, has only fought twice since losing to Canelo in 2020. “He’s got one-punch power,” Malignaggi acknowledged, “but he’s not busy enough. You can’t beat Beterbiev throwing one shot every half-minute.”
“He Makes the Walls Close In”
Malignaggi also broke down what makes Beterbiev so mentally draining. “He’s got an equalizer — you see nothing in his eyes. He’s emotionless. A stalking killer,” Paulie said.
He recalled how Beterbiev suffocated Oleksandr Gvozdyk with subtle ring control. “Anyone who tries to box him patiently, he makes the walls close in. You’re working harder just to move, while he’s conserving energy. By the three-quarter point, you’re cooked.”
That’s the Beterbiev effect — not just physical exhaustion, but mental collapse.
Tom Galm has covered the global boxing scene since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, business trends, and fighter psychology.
