“I really want the rubber match,” Beterbiev said on DAZN‘s Inside The Ring. “I think everybody wants (the) rubber match, and I feel good. If you want to see if I’m good or not, make this fight happen, and I’ll show you.”
Beterbiev and Bivol are tied with one win each after their two undisputed championship fights. Beterbiev insists he must enter a third meeting with a 2-0 advantage.
“I believe I won the second fight better than the first one,” said Beterbiev. “For sure, the third fight is going to happen (and) I’ll do better than both of them.”
The 41-year-old also suggested that Bivol was not keen on finalizing a third fight despite widespread interest in the bout.
“I expect the third fight to take place in at least five or six months,” Beterbiev said, “but he doesn’t want to fight.”
Interest has continued to grow in a potential clash between Beterbiev and Benavidez, who recently became a three-division world champion by stopping Gilberto Ramirez from capturing the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
Beterbiev said he remains open to facing Benavidez in the future, but only after finishing unfinished business with Bivol.
“I respect what Benavidez has already done in boxing,” Beterbiev said. “He became a three-category world champion, and I’m not avoiding this kind of fight with Benavidez or anyone else. First of all, I’m more focused on doing rubber match (against Bivol).”
Bivol currently holds The Ring, WBA, IBF and WBO light heavyweight titles after defeating Michael Eifert on May 30 in Ekaterinburg, Russia. No date has been announced for a third fight between Bivol and Beterbiev.
