I sparred Artur Beterbiev and it’s by far the worst thing I’ve experienced in life – it felt like being hit by a car

2 months ago 31

BOXER Lionell Thompson was once hit by a car – but says sparring Artur Beterbiev was just as bad.

Beterbiev is boxing’s only world champion with a 100 per cent knockout ratio having stopped all 20 of his opponents.

This Saturday he faces his biggest challenge yet in 23-0 Dmitriy Bivol in a light-heavyweight undisputed title decider.

Beterbiev strikes fear into any man he shares the ring with.

And American Thompson has been brave enough to join the Russian’s training camps repeatedly over the years.

But in a 2018 interview with FightHype, he opened up on the harsh reality of withstanding Beterbiev’s force.

He said: “That’s by far the worst thing I’ve experienced in life.

“I’ve been hit by a car once, when I was young, and that’s how it feels like sparring with him. I’m just being honest.”

Brit Dan Azeez, 35, corroborates Thompson’s claim even if Beterbiev wears huge 20oz gloves.

He said to Pro Boxing Fans after being told of Thompson’s car crash comparison: “He’s not over-exaggerating, you know! I’m telling you.

“You know what’s funny? This guy wears 20-ounces, you’d think there’s more padding but there’s more force because it’s bigger gloves.”

Beterbiev, 39, holds the WBC, IBF and WBO titles at 175lb and stopped Callum Smith and Anthony Yarde in his last two fights.

Bivol, 33, meanwhile is the WBA champ who defeated Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez in 2022.

Beterbiev faces Dmitry Bivol for all the light-heavyweight titles[/caption]