What's next for Artur Beterbiev after beating Joe Smith Jr.?

Artur Beterbiev recently outclassed Joe Smith Jr. in a massive Light Heavyweight Unification bout. Beterbiev is set to face another big puncher next in WBO mandatory challenger Anthony Yarde.

Yarde featured in the build-up to Beterbiev vs. Smith Jr. at the press conference and other promotional events. Yarde was also ringside during the fight.

Watch Anthony Yarde react to Artur Beterbiev’s TKO victory:

For months, Anthony Yarde’s promoter Frank Warren has maintained that the winner of the unification bout will have to face Yarde next. On the night of the fight , Beterbiev’s promoter Bob Arum confirmed that the fight will take place in London.

Following a dominant performance against Joe Smith Jr., most believe that Beterbiev is far too skilled for Yarde. Yarde has only faced a world champion once, in a brave TKO loss to Sergey Kovalev. Yarde did however manage to hurt Kovalev in the bout, and will be hoping that his potent punching power can lead him to success against Beterbiev.

Beterbiev has been knocked down once before in his career, against another British light heavyweight. Callum Johnson dropped Beterbiev in the second round of their bout with a left hook. Johnson was eventually knocked out in the fourth round of the bout, as Beterbiev continued his still-standing streak of stopping all of his opponents.

Until Joe Smith Jr. met Arthur Beterbiev, he had never been knocked down in a professional fight. The bout was a mismatch, as Beterbiev knocked down Smith three times before the referee mercifully stopped the fight in the second round. Beterbiev added the WBO to his IBF and WBC belts.

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Many fans want to see Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol

The man with the other title in the division is WBC World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol. Beterbiev and Bivol are considered the two best in the division and fans have long called for a bout between the two.

Artur Beterbiev is now tied down to face his mandatory challenger in Yarde. Yarde in the past refused $1 million to step aside to allow Canelo to face Sergey Kovalev. Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn, however, appears to be more interested in a fight with Joshua Buatsi.

Another one of Eddie Hearn's fighters, Devin Haney, had to leave his promoter in order to become the Undisputed Lightweight Champion. Hearn was unable to come to an agreement with Top Rank, who have promoted other lightweight champions such as Vasyl Lomachenko, Teofimo Lopez, and George Kambosos.

Haney fought George Kambosos Jr. in a fight promoted by Top Rank (Beterbiev’s promoter) with all four belts on the line.

Both Beterbiev and Bivol want the unification bout next, and politics is the only thing that will stop the crowning of an Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion.

Watch Artur Beterbiev call out Dmitry Bivol: