Dmitry Bivol says he studied former five-division world champion Sugar Ray Leonard’s fights to use his fighting style as a template for his undisputed light heavyweight bout against Artur Beterbiev last Saturday night in Riyadh.
Where Bivol’s strategy to change to Leonard 2.0 failed was in forgetting to engage with Beterbiev during championship rounds 9 through 12. The Sugar Ray-esque style that Bivol copied did not allow him to throw to win any of the last four or even. the last six rounds. This style ruined Bivol’s chances of winning.
Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) believed that 1976 Olympic gold medalist Sugar Ray’s approach to fighting, using movement and quick combinations, would neutralize knockout artist Beterbiev’s punching power. To Bivol’s credit, it came close to succeeding. He lost a close 12-round majority decision to IBF, WBC and WBO 175-lb champion Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs)
For the entire fight, Bivol moved, threw punches and quick combinations and did not allow Beterbiev to have a stationary target for him to unload his non-stop power shots. Beterbiev was forced to follow Bivol around, and it was difficult for him to land anything in the first six rounds.
Bivol used Leonard’s fighting style
“My favorite fighter is Sugar Ray Leonard. My plan moved a lot because before this fight I repeatedly watched many Ray Leonard fights,” said Dmitry Bivol. Fight Hub TV about how he prepared for the Artur Beterbiev fight by watching Sugar Ray Leonard’s fights.
“Hagler vs. Leonard, Duran vs. Leonard 2nd fight. I was impressed by how Leonard moved all 12 rounds without stopping. Sometimes, when he stops..he does a combo and then moves again. He didn’t stand (still),” Bivol said.
The Leonard approach would have worked for Bivol if he had the same judges that Sugar Ray had for the Marvin Hagler fight because those guys ignored the pressure being applied and the much harder shots he was being hit. Hagler was robbed in the eyes of many fans.
Conor Benn saw Beterbiev as the winner
“I look and say: ‘Beterbiev is in control of the fight.’ Nothing Bivol threw back was effective. He (Beterbiev) applied pressure. He’s not the fastest of starters, but he breaks his man down,” said Conor Benn iFL TVand discusses why he saw Beterbiev as the winner against Bivol.
The relentless pressure from Beterbiev wore down Bivol, and his movements drained his batteries. If Bivol had fought like he fought Canelo Alvarez, he would have had a better chance of defeating Beterbiev.
Against Canelo, Bivol strictly used the in-and-out style. He didn’t move in endless circles around the ring and waste energy. Bivol was still fresh in the championship rounds and finished strong. In the Beterbiev match, Bivol used up his energy with his movement and had nothing left in the tank after six rounds. That’s why Beterbiev took over.
“I believe he did enough and definitely won the second half. Bivol had some good moments, but you could definitely see the wear and tear,” Benn said. “He was slowing down. I do think Beterbiev won by a round. I think Beterbiev is a murderer. I think he is patient. I think he is disciplined.
“The way he managed to stay on course. He might lose laps, but he stayed the course and he stayed disciplined to do what he had to do. Many of his fights started that way. He starts slowly and carries his man down.
“I thought Bivol did well early on, but you could see how he slowed down. I think there were three rounds where he barely threw. His work seemed more flashy. His work seemed more flamboyant and more striking when he threw. But I don’t think he threw enough to the aggressor. I don’t think Bivol did enough to take the belts off him,” Benn said.
Bivol highly mobile Sugar Ray Leonard style came back to haunt him in the championship rounds against Beterbiev as he ran out of gas, and what little power he had was gone due to his fatigue. All the movement Bivol did emptied his gas tank.
