Jai Opetaia says Dmitry Bivol can beat Artur Beterbiev using movement, angles and staying at range on Saturday night in Riyadh. The fight will be shown live on ESPN+, which is non-PPV.
(Photo credit: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry)
IBF cruiserweight champion Opetaia is a big fan of WBA light heavyweight champion Bivol’s fighting style as he feels it is a style similar to his own.
Opetaia thinks it’s best for Bivol to stay out of Beterbiev’s shots in order for him to win because there’s too much risk facing the big three-belt 175-lb champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs).
“Bivol has to move, cut corners and keep his distance,” said Jai Opetaia. Fight Hub TV about what Dmitri Bivol must do to defeat Artur Beterbiev. “Beterbiev should do the complete opposite: walk him down and try to clip him.”
Bivol likes to let his hands go, and it’s going to be too hard for him to resist not going on the attack against Beterbiev. If Bivol finds success early, he will want to keep attacking because that is his style. At 33, he is too old to change.
“He has to apply smart pressure and find that punch. He always does. He has a 100% knockout ratio,” says Opetaia about what Beterbiev needs to do to win. “He knows what he’s doing. He knows his way around the ring and how to cut people off and find that punch. It’s a very exciting fight.”
If Beterbiev just waits for Bivol to attack him all night, it won’t work because he won’t get enough opportunities to land his shots to get the knockout he needs to guarantee the win. If it goes to the scorecards, Bivol’s chances of winning will be high.
“I think if it goes to the scorecards, Bivol wins, but Beterbiev is such a dangerous fighter. As long as he (Bivol) doesn’t get clipped and in trouble, I think Bivol wins on points,” says Opetaia.
What Jai says is no different than almost anyone else. Bivol will have his hand raised it goes the distance because he has the better boxing skills, speed and he throws more shots.
“I don’t know. This is to Turki Alalshikh, His Excellency. He pulls all the strings, and whoever he wants me to fight, I will fight,” Opetaia said when asked if he would be interested in fighting the winner of the Beterbiev vs. To fight bivol battle. “I am focused on the 12th. I have a hard fight ahead of us, and then we can move forward.”
