Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol undisputed clash to decide ‘perfect warrior,’ says Johnny Nelson

As Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol fight to decide light-heavyweight supremacy, the Fabio Wardley versus Frazer Clarke heavyweight rematch is sure to be ‘brutal’. Sky Sports’ boxing expert Johnny Nelson appraises the big October 12 bill.

I believe Artur Beterbiev can end Dmitry Bivol’s unbeaten run.

Beterbiev boxed Oleksandr Usyk in the amateurs and the style of fight was relentless. He was determined. Just wouldn’t let go and I think he’ll do exactly the same again.

In a dictionary, if you had the perfect boxers, the perfect warriors, it would be a picture of one of these two fighters. They are the perfect warrior. No one’s going to take a backwards step.

One’s going to try and box and outfox, and one’s going to try and walk through iron. It is going to be such a fight. But I’m going Beterbiev because I think he’s the real deal.

He’s a brilliant offensive fighter – hardly takes a backwards step. He’s not baffled by any skullduggery.

I think Bivol will try and outbox him but he won’t. Beterbiev will cover up. He’ll take the shots. He’ll see what you’ve got. You’ll hit him with a shot and he’ll instantly react with a shot. He’ll cover up for a split second then turn it on and he’ll throw three, four, five shot combinations and not leave you alone.

So if you’ve got any holes in your defence. He’s punching through them, and he punches like a mule kicks.

Wardley-Clarke II will be ‘brutal’

For Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke I don’t think we can expect anything else but round 13. This fight rolls on. We did a Gloves are Off with them last week and even though they don’t dislike each other that professionalism is there. Their careers, as far as Clarke’s concerned, depend on it. Because he’s thinking I can’t afford to lose to this guy.

This fight was just brutal from the off. Wardley – constant, consistent pressure. Clarke, inexperienced as a professional but still stuck it out and dug in deep. They were absolutely exhausted. But the pace they had for heavyweights was mad.

When Clarke went down, he had to dig deep in his soul and think I’m not losing.

It takes a lot for a fighter to think I’m going to go through all that again. That’s why I call it round 13.

Clarke’s got to understand what he did wrong. He’s got to understand where he slipped up.

He had to answer a question that he’d never been asked before as a professional – could he box at that pace as a professional fighter?

Wardley’s been there, he’s been in the trenches. As far as he’s concerned the pressure’s on Clarke more than it is on him.

Wardley believes this fight doesn’t go the distance so he’s going for the stoppage.

Both fighters are very capable of stopping each other, we saw that. Wardley probably looked the more concussive puncher of the two but I’ve got to give credit to Clarke. He was going through something new.

It’s going to be an exciting fight.

Eubank returns

Chris Eubank Jr is one of the very few fighters who is in such a powerful position to have no titles. You want to watch him box.

That air of mystique about him is not about what he says, it’s about what he doesn’t say. He’s very matter-of-fact. Very much like his father, there’s something about him that you either love or loathe.

I personally don’t think we’ve seen the best of him.

Whittaker can be our next superstar

Ben Whittaker reminds me of Prince Naseem Hamed.

Ben Whittaker has everything going for him. He says it. He walks it. He talks it. He can box, he can be flash. He can get your imagination going. You’re looking thinking I want to see him get hit.

If he can take this to world level, Ben Whittaker will be our next superstar.

Watch the full Beterbiev-Bivol & Wardley-Clarke II bill live on Sky Sports Box Office on October 12