“I try to forget about it” – Dmitri Bivol on loss to Beterbiev

Dmitry Bivol says he wants to “forget” about his loss to Artur Beterbiev last Saturday night. Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) is not happy with the way he fought, falling to fight the “perfect” style to IBF, WBC and WBO light heavyweight champion Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs ) in Riyadh to defeat.

It’s probably not a good idea for Bivol (33) to “forget” about his loss, because he won’t learn anything from it if he doesn’t analyze what went wrong.

Which cost Bivol the battle

– Fade Late: Gassed in the last six rounds
– Too much movement
– Beterbiev’s body striking and power
– Not fighting hard in the second half

Bivol lost a 12-round majority decision in a fight that many boxing fans believed he should have won. The judges didn’t see it their way and scored it 114-114, 115-113 and 116-113. The final score upset Bivol’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, and many people saw it differently.

Bivol didn’t give many details about what went wrong after the fight, but it was clear that he didn’t last six rounds against Beterbiev. He did well in the first half, but then succumbed to Beterbiev’s pressure in the second half.

“I feel emotionally empty now. I went to the ring to win this fight, but I don’t have my belt,” said Dmitry Bivol Sky Sports Boxinglooking deflated after losing to Artur Beterbiev last Saturday night. “From my side, I try to do everything perfectly, everything great, but I haven’t.”

The decision was controversial, but it is important that Bivol understands why the three judges failed to give him the victory. It was not a conspiracy by them to rob him, but rather he did not meet Beterbiev’s aggression by standing up to him during the second half of the fight. In almost any fight, the judges score in favor of the aggressor.

“I don’t think if I win or if I lose. I lost because I didn’t have my belt,” said Bivol. “I didn’t do everything perfectly. I have to do everything perfectly. I’m trying to forget about it and move forward now. Of course, against this man, Artur. You must not stand in front of him. You shouldn’t feel the ropes behind your back, and I tried to move.”

Bivol should have stood more in front of Beterbiev because he spent too much energy moving, and the judges didn’t like his unwillingness to fight Artur.

“At the same time, I tried to let him use energy, and I tried to let him throw his punches. If I have the chance, of course I would like to fight again,” said Bivol.