After TKO victory Artur Beterbiev wants light-heavyweight title fight

CHICAGO - Artur Beterbiev wants a title shot against either Adonis Stevenson or Sergey Kovalev. But late substitute Alexander Johnson proved Friday that Beterbiev may be best served to slow his rocket ride to the top of the light heavyweight division.

Beterbiev improved to 9-0 (9 KOs) Friday with a 7th-round TKO of southpaw Johnson in a Premier Boxing Champions fight on Spike TV at the UIC Pavilion.

It was the longest distance the former amateur standout has gone in a fight. He knocked Johnson down four times and twice in the final round. The end of came at 1:38 of the round, when a short right hand dropped Johnson against the ropes.

But Beterbiev tired in the middle rounds, especially the sixth, when he threw very few punches and allowed Johnson to win the round behind the jab.

Beterbiev, who turned pro in 2013, said the late switch in opponents was the cause for his stamina issues.

"I was confused because I was preparing for a different opponent," Beterbiev said. "I only had three days to prepare for a southpaw."

Undeterred, Beterbiev said he is ready for the best.

"'I'm ready for a championship fight," he said. "I don't care who it is, but I want a title shot."

It was all Beterbiev from the beginning, who did his best work against the ropes and pounded Johnson to the head and body. Every now and then, Johnson would strike with a counter left. But the offensives were few and far between.

Beterbiev dropped Johnson twice in the fifth with power shots. When the bell rang, it seemed certain his corner would stop it.

But Johnson showed guts, coming out in the sixth and winning the round behind a jab. It was a round that Beterbiev did virtually nothing.

But he came back strong in the 7th, dropping Johnson first with a counter right before delivering the final one-two against the ropes.