Talk is cheap as Beterbiev, Browne focus on title fight at Bell Centre
No pre-battle banter from theses boxers, but stakes are still high for their match
They might be the class of the light-heavyweight division, but Artur Beterbiev and Marcus Browne know nothing about pre-fight hype or the histrionics frequently associated with the sport.
Hopefully, their 12-round main event, Friday night at the Bell Centre, raises the bar.
Beterbiev and Browne came together Wednesday afternoon for their pre-fight news conference at a downtown Montreal hotel. But there was no shouting, finger-pointing or bravado; nothing that would make anyone clamour to pay top dollar to see them slug it out.
Except this: Beterbiev (16-0 with 16 knockouts), is the unified World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation 175-pound champion, considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Browne (24-1 with 16 KOS) is the mandatory challenger, ranked first by the WBC and seventh by both the IBF and World Boxing Organization.
“I can say anything, but maybe it's not true,” said Beterbiev, 36, who's originally from Russia, but has been living and training in Montreal since turning pro in 2013. He hasn't fought in Montreal since 2016.
“I can't say he'll be my toughest opponent,” Beterbiev added. "I don't have an answer. I can't say what's going to happen. We will see.
“We're ready, we're here and we had a good training camp. I'll show my best on (Friday). Thank you. That's it.”
Browne, from Staten Island, N.Y., has been a pro for nine years, but has never challenged for a world title. And at age 31, this might be the closest the slick southpaw comes to a championship. It's imperative he makes the most of this opportunity.
“We trained hard for this fight, like every fighter does,” Browne said. "He's a tough customer, a great champion. But come Friday night, we're changing the narrative. I don't have much to say. I want to fight already.
“I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe. Come Friday night, you'll see. I'm tired of talking. I want to fight.”
This will be Browne's first time working with Derrick James. The Dallas-based trainer, very selective in the small stable of boxers with whom he works, gained notoriety for handling world champions Errol Spence (welterweight) and junior-middleweight Jermell Charlo.
A victory by Browne, fighting outside the U.S. for the first time as a pro, would provide James with his third unified champ. But he has come to realize, since arriving in Montreal Sunday, his protégé is considered a heavy underdog.
“When he came to me, he was a good fighter,” James said. "I just came in and built on that. I believe in myself and I believe in Marcus.
“I appreciate and embrace the fact we're considered so much of an underdog.”
As much as Browne has riding on the bout, the stakes for Beterbiev are arguably higher.
He's promoted by the legendary Bob Arum, the founder and CEO of Top Rank. While Arum — who recently turned 90 and remains involved in the fight game — won't be in Montreal, his organization has talked about Beterbiev meeting WBO champ Joe Smith Jr. Beterbiev's name also has been associated with a potential showdown against Canelo Alvarez, the unified super-middleweight champ.
“This is one of the most important cards we've done,” said co-promoter Yvon Michel. "Artur Beterbiev is probably the best fighter we've had in Canada. For the boxing world, this is an important fight, especially since Beterbiev's considered probably the best challenge possible for Alvarez, the most-popular fighter in the world right now.
“Anybody who has his name associated with Canelo gets worldwide attention.”
Nonetheless, Michel said he admires the sacrifices Browne made for this bout to occur in Montreal. Not only did he relocate to Texas upon hiring James, Browne got fully vaccinated against COVID-19, allowing him to enter Canada.
Michel had to cancel a WBC bridgerweight title bout between Oscar Rivas and Bryant Jennings, scheduled for Oct. 22 in Montreal, after the American informed the promoter in September he refused to get vaccinated. The contracts had been signed last April.
“Browne did whatever it took to make sure he fought in Montreal,” Michel said.
Highlighting Friday's undercard is the co-feature, a 10-rounder for the vacant IBF female super-welterweight title between St-eustache's Marie-eve Dicaire (17-1) and Mexico's Cynthia Lozano (9-0, seven KOS).
Dicaire, a former IBF champ, relinquished her title to unified titleholder Claressa Shields last March by unanimous decision.
Eight other bouts are scheduled for Friday., with the opening bell at 7 p.m.