Unified Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev Tests Positive For COVID-19

WBC and IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev has tested positive for COVID-19. Top Rank annouced the news today and also announced that Beterbiev’s title clash with Adam Deines has been postponed.

The pair were set to face off on Jan. 30 inside the VTB Arena in Moscow, Russia. It is disappointing news for boxing fans. Beterbiev has not set foot inside the ring since October of 2019, when he defeated the Ukraine’s Oleksandr Gvozdyk to capture the WBC belt.

This fight has already been rescheduled once before. The first was earlier this year when Beterbiev damaged a rib. The injury forced him to withdraw from the initial set date of Oct. 23. Deines is currently ranked fifth in the IBF light heavyweight division but he is considered a heavy underdog against Beterbiev.

The undefeated Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KO) also had a bout with the unbeaten Chinese fighter Meng Fanlong canceled due to the outbreak of COVID-19 at the start of the year. Fanlong has the mandatory slot for Beterbiev’s IBF title.Hopefully, Beterbiev is back training sooner rather than later, as when he 100 percent fit, he is one of the most devastating fighters in boxing.

The heavy hitting Chechen currently holds two of the big four light heavyweight belts with Dimitry Bivol the reigning WBA champion and the WBO championship currently vacant. On February 13 Jose Smith Jr and Maxim Maslov will battle it out for the WBO strap, and it would be exciting for fans to see the 35-year-old Beterbiev in another unification bout.