WBC and IBF Light Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev told why he respects the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“Everyone says that I envy someone. Why should I be jealous? What am I jealous of? Firstly, I am happy to do my own thing. Secondly, as you said before, I am not prejudiced against anyone. The work that I do is not easy, and these guys have achieved it. The same Usyk and Joshua - they are not just at the top, because they have achieved this. And I respect this work. I have no bad thoughts about these people. I don't think about them at all, I go about my business.
"How can I be against Usyk if I have not watched this fight before? Or how can I be for Usyk? If I was for one of them, then I would sit and watch," he continued. "Despite the fact that I boxed with Usyk three times, even then I was not interested in watching this fight. I respect that he [Usyk] did this job. I respect that he achieved such results. It's actually very cool,” Beterbiev said.
In September last year Usyk confidently defeated Anthony Joshua by unanimous decision. Before the fight, the Ukrainian was an obvious outsider according to bookmakers.
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