Ivan Montiel: We have a big fight this upcoming Friday!

 

John Scully: Yes, Artur Beterbiev (pictured) versus Marcus Browne [for Betebiev’s IBF andWBC championships]. It’s a good fight for the light heavyweight division. I am here looking forward to it. I have been here for a month and a half [as part of Beterbiev’s team].

 

IM: How cold is it there? Is there snow?

 

JS: No, it’s not bad, not bad, Montreal gets cold February and March, that’s when it gets bitter cold, bruta. Way worse than Connecticut [where I live]. 

 

IM: I have not been there in quite some time, the times I’ve traveled to Montreal throughout the winter months… it’s cold! But Montreal is going to heat up this Friday! 

 

JS: Yeah, it’s a big fight! Everyone should tune in. Beterbiev is the biggest puncher in the world! Browne has been hit, he’s been hurt a few times before. You know it when Beterbiev hits you. For someone that’s been hit before, fighting Beterbiev is a tough perscription. It can only get worse going against Beterbiev. 

 

IM: Are you referring to when Berterbiev defeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk? Gvozdyk sure got hurt in that fight.

 

JS: No, I am saying anybody! Anybody in the world, if you’ve been down before, you have a suspect chin, and Beterbiev is not the guy you want to fight! If you have a weak chin, Beterbiev is going to find it! 

 

IM: Browne has gone down before. We saw that against Jean Pascal.

 

JS: Browne was also dropped against Radivole Kalajdzic

 

IM: That’s right! But Browne says that he is not nervous. He believes that Beterbiev’s previous opponents have been afraid.

 

JS: Well that might not be a good thing, you see that’s bravo talk. You can call it nerves or whatever it is. If you go in there saying I am not afraid, you are going to get brutally and quickly knocked out! You would be a fool to say I am not afraid, that’s like facing Mike Tyson and saying I am not afraid, I am just going to get in there to see what he’s got. You have to have a boxing brain, knowledge knowing what you’re going to be in with. You can call it fear, apprehension, intelligence whatever the word is that you want but Browne better not think that he’s going to trade punches because that’s just asking for big trouble!

 

IM: Perhaps Browne wants to go twelve rounds with Beterbiev?

 

JS: Listen I have watched plenty of videos on Marcus Browne, he’s a good fighter, I am not talking trash, nothing like that. But the longer this fight goes, the better it will be for Beterbiev. The longer this fight goes, if Browne gets hit solid, he has calf legs which look like a fawn. A fawn that tries to stand up but its legs wobble. Browne gets that way, he loses his legs whenever he gets hit solid. That right there is something that one cannot fix. You cannot train harder and all of sudden it will get better. Browne doesn’t recover well, it takes him a round or two to recover. There’s fighters that recover within seconds. If Browne gets caught again it will be a major problem.

 

IM: Beterbiev is a finisher 

 

JS: Right! Beterbiev’s mentality is destruction! He wants you dead and will do anything to make that happen. What everyone must realize is that Beterbiev is a technical fighter. I’ve heard some say that Beterbiev is just a big puncher and that he can’t box. These guys are not paying attention! If a fighter doesn’t have the obvious skills like Roy Jones Jr, like anyone can see him and within seconds say wow he’s really good, then you must know what to look at. Those who claim that Beterbiev is a just a puncher are complete idiots. They simply don’t know what they are seeing. Beterbiev is very technical, very calculated but again his desire for you to be unconscious overrules a lot of stuff. His positioning, his power and his pressure are masterful. He’s very sharp in that ring.

 

IM: Interesting that you mention those things because I get the feeling that Browne is also thinking that Beterbiev is just a puncher.

 

JS: Listen, it’s either one or two things and that’s why I don’t pay attention to fighters before a fight. Fighters sometimes say stupid things, sometimes they say things just to throw their opponents off and sometimes they say things just out of their emotions. Browne might be just trying to gas himself up or maybe he has guys at the gym telling him Beterbiev has no skills. A lot of guys do that sort of stuff whether it be a trainer or simply friends. These guys are foolish, always trying to talk down the opponent. There are guys at press conferences that always talk about the negative things about their opponent. I am different. I ask myself what does beating that guy mean? What if you beat this guy? You just talked hours how terrible this opponent is therefore you beating him means nothing. Nobody is going to give you credit for beating someone who you just spent hours trying to convince everyone that he is not that good. Browne is a good fighter but I believe his weaknesses plays to Beterbiev’s strengths. You cannot have a questionable chin and expect to fight Beterbiev toe to toe. Plenty of sparring partners have said they thought Beterbiev was just a puncher, a bruiser. After one sparring session, they all say Beterbiev is a smart fighter. Beterbiev’s positioning, thoughts and counters… he’s very intelligent. Many don’t understand what to look. Beterbiev didn’t become a two-time Olympian, world amateur champion, European champion and WBC/IBF champion by just being a puncher. That’s wishful thinking, I think there’s lots of guys telling Browne things in order to give him confidence. If I was training Browne, I would say look man, this guy hits like the devil! I am not going to tell you that Beterbiev is not that good because the truth always come out! You can tell me that one guy has no head movement yet within seconds I am going to find out that you were lying to me. What did that do for me? Nothing, it made me not prepare. If I was training Browne he would know what he’s going to face, he wouldn’t be telling everyone that Beterbiev is just a puncher. 

 

IM: Well it’s like many of us say it’s different on the inside!

 

JS: Of course! It’s like I just said those who have sparred Beterbiev come out say they had no idea! They had to be inside that ring to see up close what Beterbiev does. 

 

IM: Browne is now working with trainer Derrick James.

 

JS: Derrick James was a good fighter who fought [ex-WBO middleweight title holder] Otis Grant for twelve rounds. He has a good amateur background, he’s a very good trainer with good fighters. Once I heard about James training Browne two things came to mind. One is if Beterbiev is just a puncher then why leave your former trainer? The fact that he’s got a new trainer tells me Browne knows what he’s in with. He isn’t stupid, he has to get help! If I was his former trainer, I wouldn’t be satisfied, his former team got him here yet all of a sudden, he doesn’t need them. Get any fighter and get Angelo Dundee, Eddy Futch and Ray Arcel as a team. It doesn’t matter because a few months isn’t enough time in order to see how a fighter reacts. You have to work with someone in a fight, Derrick James has not seen Browne before a fight. James has not been with Browne minutes before a fight, he’s never worked his corner before. Having seen a fighter in the gym and a fight are two different things. I personally think that having James in his corner won’t make a significant difference since Browne is an Olympian, a ranked fighter therefore he’s basically going to resort doing what’s he’s used to do. Let me tell you this.. I once trained a fighter who was about to face one of Floyd Mayweather Senior’s fighter. Both I and Mayweather Senior had just begun to train these guys. I took a peak at Mayweather’s fighter who I knew was a tough guy an emotional type of fighter. This guy was an aggressor, the type of fighter that wants to get you out of there. Mayweather Senior was teaching this guy how to do that shoulder roll. After five minutes, I told a friend of mine there’s no way this guy beats my guy. Mayweather Senior is the worst thing that happens to this guy, within two weeks that guy would be confused. That guy wasn’t going to do none of that stuff within such little time. He would regress to his normal way of fighting in order to impress Mayweather Senior. Of course, my fighter beat this guy. Mayweather Senior saying he’s a great trainer, and he might be, but he sure made a mistake training the guy. Browne should have stayed with Gary Stark Junior and Andre Roizer because James is not going to change him. I don’t recommend that! I truly believe that everything favors Beterbiev going into this fight. 

 

IM: Now with everything just said by you, didn’t Emanuel Steward help Wladimir Klitschko’s career?

 

JS: Yes but I wouldn’t say that Klitschko fought differently. Watche his first and last fights. He was basically the same fighter. I love Emanuel Steward. Let me give you another example when I trained Chad Dawson, he then went to work with Dan Birmingham, Mayweather Senior and then worked with Emanuel Steward. Don’t forget Dawson left Steward before that Hopkins fight and then of course I began working with him again. Steward said on record that he wanted Dawson to fight like Tommy Hearns. Steward wanted Dawson to fight that tall and punchy style! I soon as I heard that, with all due respect to the great Emanuel Steward, I thought that is foolish! That’s insane! I would never in a million years do that to Chad Dawson. Everyone knows that Steward always loved that long tall puncher style. I am not saying that Dawson can’t punch, he’s just not that type of puncher. Dawson is elusive, and had a natural boxing style that was the opposite of what Tommy Hearn’s did. Emanuel Steward was a great man but made a huge mistake! When I got Dawson, I said you’re a masterful boxer! I said you’ve been a master boxer since the age of 11! I would be a moron to go against that, to try to change that! To take that natural instinct away. As trainers, we have to cultivate to what you already do! Dawson beat Bernard Hopkins as clear as anyone else did until of course the very end against Joe Smith Jr. Long story short, I don’t think Derrick James will be able to make a difference because he doesn’t have enough time and experience for a real fight. James’ experience will come on Friday as they fight the toughest fight against a super strong guy who will be putting tremendous pressure. It’s a tough situation, sometimes guys think the grass is greener on the other side! Gary Stark Jr and Andre Roizer brought Marcus Browne here yet Browne left them, I think there’s conflict there. 

 

IM: In other words, what you’re saying is that Marcus Browne can’t afford to make one mistake because one mistake could cost him this fight. Browne has to fight the perfect fight!

 

JS: Right! I think Browne has been hurt several times. Beterbiev has also been down [Callum Johnson knocked Beterbiev down] but Beterbiev has got back up and obliterated those guys! Browne did get back up but he’s had shaky legs for the rest of those fights. A lot of us thought that Browne lost that fight against Radivole Kalajdzic. Beterbiev stopped Kalajdzic with no trouble. In that particular fight, Browne’s legs were shot for the rest of that fight. That’s a physiological issue. That right there is not something you can work on. I feel that Browne might have a physical issue that is in our favor. 

 

IM: So what’s your prediction?

 

JS: I can picture and I am only guessing that Beterbiev comes out taking his time with Browne’s speed. Sooner or later no matter how good Browne can move, there will come a time when Beterbiev’s pressure will manifest itself. Browne is going to feel that pressure! It’s like being in a pressure cooker, in a vice grip just squeezing as rounds go by with Browne feeling Beterbiev’s punches. Most guys are worried about getting hit on their chin or maybe their body but definitely don’t want to get hit on their chin. Beterbiev can hit you on your arm or shoulder anywhere and you will feel something unnatural. There’s something super human crashing into you! Your thinking if those punches land on my head what will happen! It’s like when Julian Jackson was fighting there were lots of things that his opponents had to worry about. There were a lot of things to think about even if you were a great boxer for example Herrol Graham was boxing the perfect fight against Jackson. Then all of a sudden, a lightning bolt came out of nowhere and just like that that fight was over! Graham had to fight the perfect against Jackson, he didn’t do it, he slipped up! Beterbiev is there every second of every round. When Beterbiev won those titles, it was the last round and I said to the guy next to me wouldn’t it be crazy if Beterbiev knocks this guy out in this round. A minute later that fight was over. Beterbiev was way ahead in that fight that all he had to do was win by decision. Beterbiev had won 10 rounds if not 11 rounds yet he kept thinking knockout every single round. 

 

It’s not just his power! It’s his mentality. This is a guy who is single minded, he’s focused. His end game is for his opponents to be unconscious. That’s it and Beterbiev wants that so bad. You have to have that physiological that emotional strength to go 12 rounds every 3 minutes of each round. You have to have it in that dressing room before that fight. You have to have it walking to that ring, in that center of that ring. You have to have it in between rounds! That’s a lot of pressure for an opponent to deal with.

 

IM: Do you think maybe this is why Beterbiev is the boogeyman at 175 pounds?

 

JS: Well I mean he’s proven, his reputation, he goes anywhere and he’s known as the guy who’s knocked every one of his opponents out. It’s not a fluke! Gvozdyk was an elite fighter who Beterbiev broke down. Gvozdyk retired and never fought again. As an amateur, Beterbiev was knocking guys out, too. It’s not a new thing, it’s not because there is no head gear, Beterbiev was knocking guys out with head gear! In order to deal with Beterbiev, let me just say it’s easier said than done.

 

IM: I must mention that there’s word going around that there’s a possibility that Canelo Alvarez, the world super middleweight champion, might fight Beterbiev next.

 

JS:  I just feed off Beterbiev. You just mentioned it, the name Canelo has never been mentioned. It has never come up in the gym, his name has not been mentioned throughout this training camp. I don’t know, I am just hearing it from you. Canelo says he is moving up to the cruiserweight division. I am not sure how much weight Canelo will gain. I am not sure if Canelo will want to move back down. It’s funny since Canelo is not a big guy. As a middleweight, Canelo wasn’t a big guy. Canelo wasn’t a Tommy Hearns as a middleweight. I mean to go up to the light heavyweight division to face Beterbiev or maybe fight WBC champion Junior Makabu in the cruiserweight division, a guy that’s also a big puncher. I give every credit in the world for Canelo to take these types of challenges. But you keep playing with that fire you will get burnt. 

 

IM: Well Bob Arum says if a fight against Makabu doesn’t happen, Beterbiev might just be the next opponent for Canelo

 

JS: Canelo is the guy therefore if he’s going to move up to the light heavyweight division he has to fight Arthur Beterbiev. At this point it’s obvious, it’s natural that some will say Canelo is going to lose. Against Caleb Plant many thought Plant was going to do very well with his boxing ability. Now against Beterbiev, I think a lot will say that Artur will win. Canelo is a very good fighter who has improved a lot in the past years. So if Canelo did not fight Beterbiev, I wouldn’t blame him. Boxing guys always say things that they don’t necessarily mean. These guys don’t want to come across looking weak. In the back-room Canelo knows that Beterbiev is a beast he knows that. It would be a huge jump for Canelo since he was a middleweight at one time. 

 

IM: My argument is if Canelo moved up to fight Sergey Kovalev, then why not move up again to fight Beterbiev?

 

JS: Yeah but if you remember there were stipulations in that fight. There was weight stipulation. Canelo did not beat the Kovalev. Let me just say that I am not a Canelo hater in any stretch! I think Canelo is a great fighter but I don’t respect that. You cannot go to Sergey Kovalev and say I will fight you because I think you’re great but you cannot gain this weight overnight. You cannot eat what you want, c’mon man that’s not right! Roberto Duran did not do that! Duran moved up facing Iran Barkley. If you think about it, it’s insane! You’re going to put stipulations on your opponent. That’s not real. You will be happy with that win but in history, historically you think about how you made that guy lose weight. I made that guy gain weight! I intentionally depilated that guy just to say that I beat him but everyone knows that I put stipulations that’s not right! That’s like saying that you want to fight Fury but only if he weighs less than 240 pounds. Then you beat Fury and say ya! I beat Fury! You just made Fury lose like 27 pounds! Plus, you were going to fine Fury a million dollars per pound if he did not accept your terms. That’s not right, that’s not historical. You look back 100 years from now there has to be an explanation for what took place at that moment.

 

IM: That’s a good point but that type of stuff could very well happen if Canelo fights Beterbiev. Canelo calls the shots!

 

JS: Look man I am not the business guy! I don’t have any say! I would hope that Beterbiev doesn’t do that! If I were in Beterbiev’s position I would say if you can’t beat me at my best then don’t come here! Forget the money! I am not here for the money! I care about the history! When everyone talks about the history they don’t talk about the money! I don’t even know how much money Joe Louis made for a fight. All I know is that Joe Louis was great! I know who Joe Louis beat! I know what Joe Louis did holding that title for twelve years! I don’t want to hear about stipulations! If I was in that position I would reject! I think that would be a great way to put it on the table. I would tell Canelo that he’s a great fighter but not on those terms, his fans won’t respect that!

 

IM: Now let’s say Beterbiev gets a fight against Canelo, fights him and Beterbiev loses, boxing fans will then say that’s Beterbiev’s fault that he shouldn’t have taken that fight, right?

 

JS: It’s unbelievable to me that it’s come to this point. Everyone seems to forget that there’s boxing commissions Las Vegas where ever it is. These boxing commissions are supposed to be the boss! They are no longer the boss! The fighters are the boss! Fighters tell the commissions what to do! Mayweather fought Jake Paul who was like 190 pounds yet the commission let that fight happen. Anywhere else a guy weighing 150 wouldn’t be allowed to fight a guy who weighs 190 but that money spoke loudly. We need these boxing commissions step up and actually be a commission for once.

 

IM: I guess times have changed due to the money, right?

 

JS: Of course! 100% The sanction body gets the sanction fees, everybody wins! When there’s a big fight everybody wins! Everybody is trying for that fight not to fall apart by bending the rules. 

 

IM: Right! Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis and the fighters who I began following in the 90’s fought for pride and for respect and not just the money

 

JS: Right! There were times when there were weight stipulations as years passed but now they realize their power. Back then everyone respected the boxing commission since they are the boss. Then all of a sudden, they started saying do you want 20 million circulating in your city, relax bend the rules a little let’s work together. For example, take a regular state like Idaho, I assume they have a boxing commission. I am not picking on Idaho, I don’t know anyone there but let’s say Mayweather or Jake Paul go there and they will run things! They will run all over that boxing commission, they will tell that commission what to do! That’s why crazy fights happen in those crazy places! Those boxing commission are not experienced they are weaker. Those boxing commissions are just happy to have someone that they have seen on TV fight in their state. These guys will bend the rules in order to take a picture with one of these guys. You need a tough commission in order to take control. That shows you how powerful money is! These guys have taken control and they realize that they have taken control. Instead of being tough on everything they are bending the rules. That’s why this craziness is happening right now.

 

IM: You mentioned Floyd Mayweather Jr do you think it’s because of him that this has happened

 

JS: Oh ya! Mayweather Jr started it, he showed everyone, Floyd fought a fighter who was like 120 pounds I can’t recall his name I think it was some MMA fighter whom he knocked out. Mayweather Jr also fought some Japanese fighter who to them is considered like an icon. If it was Beterbiev that wouldn’t be allowed. Beterbiev wouldn’t be allowed to murder some Japanese fighter. Floyd Mayweather was brought with like 80 million dollars so you know! It’s like these guys are star struck and they are not supposed to be like that, these boxing commissions are supposed to be in charge!

 

IM: It’s unfortunate however that’s what boxing has become. Hey man I wish you all the best! Now before I let you go say how has Beterbiev been looking in training camp.

 

JS: hahaha! Now this is nothing against you! Now you tell me this as a media guy! You’re the media guy just like the boxing commissions. You ask me tell everyone how’s Beterbiev looking! Now am I supposed to say he has had the flu! No sparring, he can’t run, 20 pounds overweight! I am probably going to bet against him! No, I am going to tell you what everyone says Beterbiev looks great! His weight is great! He feels great! Everything is great! It was the best training camp ever! That’s my answer! That’s always going to be my answer! 

 

IM: That’s a good one!

 

JS: Therefore, if you ever ask me, don’t ask me! That’s my answer! You can answer it yourself! Everything’s been great!

 

IM: That’s a good answer because every fighter says that, it’s so true!

 

JS: I mean imagine going into a press conference two days before and one fighter says that he feels like his arm is sore that he can’t throw that right hand. I will tell you this and every fighter reading this will laugh at what I am saying. I can train the morning of the fight, go flying into the air, land on the sidewalk, getting back up and someone dusts me off. I take a shower, get into the dressing room, security guard asks me how do I feel and I respond never better! I got hit by a car that morning but I won’t tell anyone what just happened and that I don’t feel good. Next time say good luck unless you want to hear lies, don’t ask those questions! 

 

IM: hahaha! That’s true! All the best! Hopefully after Friday you guys will be facing Canelo!

 

JS: Yeah man it’s like I said let’s get past Browne and then we will talk.