Artur Beterbiev is a sure thing. Sort of. 

The Russian-born, Canadian-based light heavyweight registering both his 19th win and KO with an eighth-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde in London last weekend, but it wasn’t the sort of performance that’ll make anyone forget Archie Moore anytime soon. 

Though he was occasionally rattled and looked a step slower than his more athletic but not quite as durable foe, the late-blooming 38-year-old did maintain possession of three 175-pound title belts and will presumably stay in the running for full-fledged spots on recognized pound-for-pound lists – considering he was included as an honorable mention alongside Boxing Scene's top 10 in December. 

"I think Artur is one of the most underrated guys in the game in terms of his skills," assistant trainer John Scully told me. "He doesn't have flashy skills, of course, but his boxing technique is first class for sure." 

Scully flew home from London on Tuesday morning (U.S. time) and seemed certain his man was fixated on unifying the light heavyweight ranks. But given the realities of boxing – read: promotional/streaming conflicts, etc. – it wouldn’t hurt his team to have a few other options handy for the next time around. 

Here’s one man’s view, presented in the order they could arrive. 

First, Callum Smith: It’s realistic given our sport's endless string of mandatory defenses and sanctioning-body nonsense, and it's not a terrible fight. 

Lest anyone forget, “Mundo” was a worthwhile champion at 168 and won three title fights before running into a cinnamon-haired body-punching nightmare. 

He lost every meaningful moment of their 12-rounder in 2020 but has scored two KOs in a combined six rounds at 175 since, and, more importantly, become the WBC's mandatory challenger. 

"Callum Smith is the mandatory," WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told Boxing Scene late in 2022.  

"(Smith is) allowed to do an interim fight because Beterbiev is gonna do the WBO mandatory (against Yarde). The winner must fight Callum Smith." 

Smith, who stands 6-foot-3 with a wingspan of 78 inches, is taller and longer than Beterbiev and has the technical acumen to win a tactical fight. He seems a lot stronger at 175, too. 

Second, Dmitry Bivol: Play word association with a fight fan and the next name after Beterbiev’s will more than likely be Bivol’s. That’s because he’s held the remaining piece of the light heavyweight puzzle – the WBA’s silly “super” world title belt – for nearly two years.

And he’s pretty good, too.

Though he was anything but a household name prior to last May's shocker over Canelo Alvarez, Bivol managed to do a comprehensive 12-round number on him while demonstrating a genius-level ring IQ, sublime footwork, and use of angles to go with noticeable advantages in size and hand speed. 

He and Beterbiev are both champions, both undefeated, both Russian, and both high enders. 

“Bivol vs. Beterbiev is one of the most anticipated fights in the whole world,” former champion Evander Holyfield told Boxing Scene. “I think this fight will be exciting. It is important that everything is resolved in order to organize this fight.” 

Whether that happens is anyone’s guess. 

Bivol allegiance to Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing promotion means he’s the exclusive streaming property of DAZN. As for Beterbiev, he’s promoted by Top Rank and will appear exclusively on ESPN. 

Top Rank czar Bob Arum has said any fight between the two would have to air on ESPN. 

“Beterbiev looks like he's impregnable,” Arum told Boxing Scene. “Guys can hit him, and it doesn't seem to affect him. He always seems to find a way to knock somebody out.” 

Third, Canelo Alvarez: Like it or not, he’s the most recognizable commodity in the sport thanks to a career that's seen him bag titles at 154, 160, 168 and 175 pounds. 

And though the loss to Bivol sent him scurrying back to 168 to finish business with Gennady Golovkin, a Bivol rematch has been widely discussed as a priority for the now-32-year-old – a pro since 2005. 

If Bivol II comes before Bivol-Beterbiev and Canelo wins, Beterbiev would leap onto the radar. And if Beterbiev beats Bivol first and is looking for a big-name opponent in the aftermath, no one's bigger. 

And when it comes to promotion, the foundation is laid. 

“Canelo is undoubtedly a good fighter, he has the technique, he works nicely in the ring, and he has a good punch,” Beterbiev told SunSport. “I am sure that would be a mega-fight. It will be one of the huge events over the last years.” 

Arum agrees. 

“It would be a massive fight because the betting action would go both ways,” he told SkySports. “Some will say Beterbiev is too big and powerful. Others will say Canelo is special and can handle everybody.” 

Fourth, Oleksandr Usyk: It might seem ludicrous to suggest, but Beterbiev and Oleksandr Usyk aren't as far apart as one might think. 

Usyk is an unbeaten heavyweight champion, but he was a cruiserweight not long ago, and, at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, is far from a physical giant in the ring. 

And while Beterbiev is indeed shorter with a lesser reach, the gaps aren't any more vast than Usyk overcame twice against a 6-foot-6, 240-pound Anthony Joshua. 

And they’ve already gotten together three times. 

Beterbiev won the opener in 2007 before losing on the scorecards at both the AIBA world championships in 2011 and the Summer Olympics in London in 2012. Beterbiev scored a knockdown and repeatedly hurt Usyk in the middle fight and has expressed interest in a pro match if it could be staged in the middle ground. 

And there seems to be zero issues with confidence. 

“I believe I can give him something in the professionals,” Beterbiev told iD Boxing. “I can give him very good fight. I don't want to say I will beat him, even if I will beat him, I don't want to say it.” 

* * * * * * * * * * 

This week’s title-fight schedule: 

SATURDAY 

Vacant WBO junior lightweight title – Glendale, Arizona 

Emanuel Navarrete (Unranked WBO/Unranked IWBR) vs. Liam Wilson (No. 3 WBO/No. 43 IWBR) 

Navarrete (36-1, 30 KO): Eleventh title fight (10-0); Held WBO titles at 122 and 126 pounds

Wilson (11-1, 7 KO): First title fight; First fight outside of Australia

Fitzbitz says: It’s nice to see a guy like Wilson break through for a title try but he’s in tough against an accomplished champion. Unless the weight is an issue, Navarrete grinds it out. Navarrete in 10 (90/10)

Last week's picks: 2-0 (WIN: Beterbiev, Dalakian) 

2023 picks record: 2-1 (66.7 percent) 

2022 picks record: 41-16 (71.9 percent) 

Overall picks record: 1,252-409 (75.4 percent) 

NOTE: Fights previewed are only those involving a sanctioning body's full-fledged title-holder – no interim, diamond, silver, etc. Fights for WBA "world championships" are only included if no "super champion" exists in the weight class. 

Lyle Fitzsimmons has covered professional boxing since 1995 and written a weekly column for Boxing Scene since 2008. He is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him on Twitter – @fitzbitz.