Dmitry Bivol will face a lot of pressure in his fight against Artur Beterbiev on October 12. It will be interesting to see how well he adjusts to being in the spotlight, a favorite in the eyes of many, and fighting the biggest puncher of his career.
Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs), the WBA light heavyweight champion, had only one big fight that got attention: against Canelo Alvarez in 2022. He was just the opponent expected to lose that fight.
On October 12, Bivol will face IBF, WBC and WBO 175-lb champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. The fight will be shown live on DAZN PPV and has a great supporting cast.
In Bivol’s last four fights, he beat these fighters:
– Malik Zinad
– Lyndon Arthur
– Gilberto Ramirez
– Canelo Alvarez
Much of the reason Bivol is considered the favorite against Beterbiev is his win over Canelo in May 2022. Fans, media and oddsmakers were impressed with Bivol’s win against Canelo and believe it is a sign that he will do the same against Beterbiev .
Another reason why Bivol is the favorite is Beterbiev’s age. He is 39 and coming off a torn knee meniscus. He’s back in a hurry after having surgery on his knee, and it’s doubtful he’ll be at full strength.
“Beterbiev is used to being the man on stage. He fights in Canada; he sells out the shows. He is the main actor,” said Ariel Helwani DAZN Boxingwhich the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitri Bivol fight discussed.
“Bivol sometimes shy away from the big stage. He fights main support. Other than the Canelo fight, it didn’t feel like the show was built around him, and he was a bit of a player against Canelo.
“So, there’s going to be a lot of pressure in that fight week. Beterbiev is used to that pressure. He is used to the spotlight. I wonder how Bivol handles it all. There was no pressure on him whatsoever.
“It was all about Canelo. The story about that fight was Canelo moving up. He was just a bit player,” Helwani said of Bivol’s fight against superstar Canelo in 2022. Now, it’s Bivol-Beterbiev. It’s 50-50. There are hardcore Bivol fans, and there are hardcore Beterbiev fans.
“I’m just curious how he (Bivol) handles it. I think it actually helps him that it’s in Riyadh. It’s a little different than being in front of 50,000 people or even 25,000 people in Montreal, where Beterbiev is loved. I’m just curious to see how he gets the opportunity. I support him too.”
Bivol should handle the pressure he will be under next week well. It’s not going to intimidate him into not throwing where it can hit him by fighting too hard and choosing to fight Beterbiev on Saturday night. It’s not a good idea for Bivol to do that because he’s not built to go to war with Beterbiev, and he won’t last long in that kind of fight.
“I think just boxing, the age and the fact that he’s been more active and not injured, that’s going to be a big factor in his favor. Bivol by decision,” Helwani said about Bivol.
Beterbiev’s age and recent knee injury are issues that could make it difficult for him to win. In terms of activity, however, the two fighters are evenly matched. They have already fought once in 2024 and 2023. So, there is no advantage for Bivol in this area.
“Bivol by unanimous decision,” said Joseph Parker, the former WBO heavyweight champion.
“Unanimous decision,” said Darren Barker, who predicted a win by Bivol.
“It’s a clean slate because you know I’m picking Bivol,” DAZN commentator Ade Oladipo said.
Ready for fight week 💪 @ABeterbiev #BeterbievBivol | #Riyadh Season | Oct 12, live on DAZN | 🎥 @turk_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/NJ8RCXe6m5
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 1, 2024
