
via Getty
PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES – OCTOBER 17, 2019: IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev of Russia during a weigh-in prior to the WBO light heavyweight title fight against WBC world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk of Ukraine at the Liacouras Center. Valery Sharifulin/TASS (Photo by Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)

via Getty
PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES – OCTOBER 17, 2019: IBF world champion Artur Beterbiev of Russia during a weigh-in prior to the WBO light heavyweight title fight against WBC world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk of Ukraine at the Liacouras Center. Valery Sharifulin/TASS (Photo by Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)
All everyone seems to be speaking about right now is Artur Beterbiev. From his spectacular victory last weekend to the controversies that followed, his name echoes loud and beyond. Amidst all of this, a video of him spending time at an arcade piqued fans’ interest.
On the 13th of this month, the Russo-Canadian fighter defeated his English opponent, Callum Smith via a 7th-round technical knockout. The victory marked his undefeated 20-fight career’s 20th knockout win. While most remained impressed with his prowess, his VADA reports took precedence. The reports were flagged “atypical,” nudging another round of testing, which thankfully came back negative. In reaction to the latest exhibit of his punching power, fans could not help but mention his knockout abilities as well as the VADA tests.
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Artur Beterbiev Fazes ‘Rocky Boxer’
In a video posted by the sports insider, Boxing Social, the Quebec-based fighter was seen at an outdoor arcade. While there, Beterbiev decided to give the arcade punch machine, ‘Rocky Boxer’, a shot. The result? Well, pretty much expected. A powerful, intimidating punch by the fighter on the machine saw it go beyond normative scores. The machine beeped at a mark of 805. However, the account called the score a disappointment.
Artur Beterbiev disappoints on the punch machine. pic.twitter.com/HEHOwtJBiN
— Boxing Kingdom (@BoxingKingdom14) January 20, 2024
While most were impressed with the score, some, familiar with the workings of the machine, remained real. Without denying the power of his punch, they understood that the score was not the determination of how strong his punch was but how quick it landed. Generally, these machines calculate scores based on the force and speed of the punch that lands on it. Aware of these nuances, his fans lept into the conversation.
“How Accurate Are These?” Fans Ask
Is it fair to measure how powerful the knockout machine’s punches are through a machine stationed at an arcade? A fan argued in the negative. While acknowledging the torque Beterbiev exerted, the fan suggested that the arcade punch cannot attest to the actual power of the fighter’s jabs.
Those machines are not accurate at all. Plus, they’re more based on speed rather than the weight you can put behind it. Beterbiev obviously puts a ton of torque on his punches that can’t be measured on this thing.
— J-Boogie 💥 (@BoogieBoxingYT) January 20, 2024
Another user, who has already tried their hand at such a machine, got a similar score using a similar technique. Does that mean they have the same power as the 38-year-old fighter? The answer was also aptly provided by the fan. They argued that anyone can get a similar score to Beterbiev, but the acumen needed to put that power to use inside the ring is different.
How accurate are these? I got a similar score with a left-hook, using almost exact technique.
I've seen people get very high-scores, using incorrect technique which wouldn't be helpful in a fight.
Just a bit of fun, not to be taken to heart.
— LMGBoxFit (@LMGBoxFit) January 20, 2024
A new way to describe Artur Beterbiev: The fighter with the concrete hands. One fan explained the proposition, citing the force behind his punches.
His hands are like concrete. It’s not the velocity, it’s the force behind his shots that is so debilitating.
— dazeey (@dazeey3) January 20, 2024
Is 805 a disappointing score on the machine? Not really. However, a fan suggested that Beterbiev scored that much by putting hardly any effort.
Disappoints? He literally just step back and threw it
— AccaCrushers (@AccaCrushers) January 20, 2024
Another user, rather a critic, brought the PED tests into the conversation. They implied that the low scores would be because the effects of drugs would have worn off.
Thts bc those PEDs have worn off
— Steezo Groove (@BighomieTatum) January 20, 2024
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Today, Beterbiev, despite being 38, stands at a grand juncture, a point from which he sends shivers down anyone who wishes to fight him. In the backdrop of such prominence, the score on the arcade punch fades, and his 100% knockout record shines.
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What do you think of his punch on the machine? Let us know in the comments section below.
Watch This Story – Five Potential Opponents for Artur Beterbiev
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