Dmitry Bivol says he understands he must try a different strategy to win the rematch with undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in their fight in 60 days on February 22 in Riyadh.
Can Bivol change?
For Bivol to win the rematch, he needs to change his fighting style from being defensive to focusing on being aggressive and staying in the pocket. With his fragile chin, lack of strength, age and reluctance to get hit, Bivol is unlikely to change. He’s 34, and he’s pretty set in his ways.
Former WBA 175-lb champion Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) doesn’t come right out and say it, but he spent too much time running from Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) after beating him with ‘ stunned by a hard shot in the seventh round.
Bivol (34) showed no desire to hold his ground after that round, and the last five rounds were one long, bitter retreat. It was obvious to see Bivol give up and run, give up the fight and think only of survival; he showed weakness and unwillingness to fight. Beterbiev took advantage of Bivol’s reluctance to fight.
I don’t know what could change in a rematch. When a fighter is scared, as Bivol showed, it doesn’t turn into a rematch. That fear is still there. You get the same results in the rematch, and the fans go home unhappy.
Turki Alashikh should have matched Beterbiev against David Benavidez, Joshua Buatsi or David Morrell rather than setting up a rematch with Bivol. Dmitry should have earned the rematch by going through one or two of those fighters rather than being given it after his loss.
The scores were 116-112, 115-113 for Beterbiev and 114-114. Some boxing fans felt 116-112 was too wide, but it reflected Bivol’s inability to stand and fight. He used a hit-and-run style, which showed that he was not willing to fight. Unsurprisingly, Bivol’s punches lacked power as his mind was focused on the breakaway. In other words, Bivol just spoiled.
Sixty days to change
Dmitri’s fans believed he had done enough to deserve the win, but it was clear to everyone else that Beterbiev had dominated the last six rounds, putting the scare into him. Beterbiev exposed Bivol’s lack of courage under fire. We already saw how Bivol looked scared when Lyndon Arthur hurt him in the eighth round on December 23, 2023.
“I have another chance and (Turki Alalshikh) told me about that date the day after the fight. He wanted to rematch on this date. He asked me, he asked Beterbiev who said yes, and since that day I have in my head that I will get this chance again,” said Dmitri Bivol. Battle hype about getting another opportunity to fight Artur Beterbiev.
“Of course I have to do something different and I know what I will add, I know what I will change a little bit.”
The Hare And The Wolf
Turki gave Bivol another chance, but it won’t help him unless he fights with more heart, and stops being the timid rabbit he was last time. Beterbiev chased him around the ring like a wolf for the last half of the fight, and it looked like Bivol had given up. He was just hoping to win an ugly decision.
