Top light heavyweight prospect Beterbiev ready to return from shoulder surgery
MONTREAL – Light heavyweight prospect Artur Beterbiev will return from shoulder surgery to face Ezequiel Maderna of Argentina on June 4 at the Bell Centre, promoter Yvon Michel announced Thursday.
It will be the Montreal-based Beterbiev’s first bout since he stopped Alexander Johnson in seven rounds last June 12 in Chicago to retain his North American title.
Beterbiev (9-0, 9 knockouts) injured a shoulder in training in November.
“At the start, I had my doubts but rehab went well and I think the shoulder might be better than it was before,” said Russia-born Beterbiev. “My shoulder had been bothering me the last two years.”
Maderna (23-2, 15 KOs) has 100 rounds more professional experience than Beterbiev (126 to 26), but lost his only two bouts against highly ranked opponents.
Beterbiev, 31, is ranked in the top 10 by all four of the main fight sanctioning bodies. He hopes to get into position to challenge Sergey Kovalev, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles. He beat Kovalev when they were amateurs.
Another top light heavyweight prospect based in Montreal, Eleider Alvarez (19-0, 10 KOs), will also be on the fight card against an as-yet undetermined opponent.
Michel said he hopes to get Alvarez into position to face yet another fighter from his stable, WBC champion Adonis Stevenson.
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