The undisputed lightweight championship fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol is three weeks away on October 12 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs), the IBF, WBC and WBO 175-lb champion, is still seen by many fans as the underdog against the WBA belt Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs).
Fans believe that 33-year-old Bivol’s youth, hand speed and mobility give him the edge against 39-year-old Beterbiev. Bivol still needs to change his usual combination punching approach to win this fight because he gets hit when he throws his combinations.
Beterbiev has taken out everyone he’s faced and looked excellent with his recent wins over Callum Smith, Anthony Yarde, Joe Smith Jr., and Marcus Browne.
Keys to victory for Beterbiev
– Catch Bivol between the combinations
– The target body
– Cut the ring well
– Fight through clinches
Bivol is expected to use more movement in this fight against the big punching Beterbiev than he usually does because he is not equipped to stand and brawl with a guy like this. The fighters that Bivol was celebrating did not have the kind of power that Beterbiev possessed.
The best win of Bivol’s career came against the 5’8″ Canelo Alvarez, but he is nowhere near the size or power of Beterbiev. Canelo went from 168 to challenge Bivol for his WBA title two years ago do, and did not have the size.
The winner of the Beterbiev vs. Bivol fight could face interim WBC champion David Benavidez next. He is next in line to fight the winner. However, Canelo Alvarez said he wants to fight Bivol if he is victorious over Beterbiev on October 12.
Canelo lost to Bivol by a 12-round unanimous decision in 2022, and he wants to avenge that loss. The undisputed fight at 175 makes it more meaningful for Canelo, as it will allow him to avenge his defeat and become the undisputed champion in two divisions.
