Beterbiev and Deines face off

Undefeated World Council Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev of Russia will defend his crown against German Adam Deines on Saturday, March 20, at the Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow, Russia.

Both fighters participated in a promotional press conference, accompanied by promoter Vladimir Hrunov, in Moscow.

Originally, 35-year-old Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KO) was going to defend his crown against Chinese Meng Fanlong at the end of September in Yekaterinburg, Russia, but because of Fanlong’s visa issues, he did not.

Beterbiev and Deines have been scheduled to fight twice before. The proposed October 23 date was scrapped after Beterbiev sustained a rib injury during training, and the January 30 date was postponed after Beterbiev tested positive for COVID-19.

Adam Deines (19-1-1, 10 KO), who was born in Russia but became a German national, will get his first world title shot.

The 29-year-old Deines’ only loss was to Chinese Fanlong, by a 10-round decision, in June 2019, in Macau.

Beterbiev, the only boxing world champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio, has seen no action since he knocked out Ukrainian world champion Oleksandr Gvodzyk to unify the WBC and IBF world titles in October 2019 in Philadelphia.

Beterbiev, a two-time Russian Olympian, has never fought in his home country as a professional.
The fight, which is promoted by Patriot Boxing in association with Top Rank, will be televised on ESPN.

Photos by Patriot Boxing/Top Rank