Oleksandr Gvozdyk says it would be a good idea for Dmitry Bivol not to exchange punches with Artur Beterbiev on Saturday. He suggests that Bivol box and move the entire fight because Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is too powerful and busy with his punches to get into a back-and-forth type of battle.
Former WBC light heavyweight champion Gvozdyk was knocked out in the tenth round by Beterbiev five years ago in a unification bout on October 19, 2019 in Philadelphia. Gvozdyk was competitive through the seventh round, but was worn down by Beterbiev’s heavy shots from the eighth to the tenth.
In hindsight, Gvozdyk made the mistake of mixing it up with Beterbiev rather than using his legs, but that’s not the type of fighter he is. Bivol is much more equipped to move around the ring than Gvozdyk. So it’s possible he can keep out of range of Beterbiev’s shots to try and win a decision.
What Bivol lacks is power. He doesn’t possess the kind of power that Gvozdyk had when he fought Beterbiev, and he’s not going to be able to hold off either. Bivol’s jab is not as powerful as Gvozdyk, and that could be a problem. He will have to use his legs more to avoid being caught by Beterbiev and beaten.
“It’s a good option for the fans, but not for Bivol,” said Oleksandr Gvozdyk to Round Eight Boxing about it is not a wise thing for Dmitry Bivol to exchange with Artur Beterbiev. “It could be the case, but I still think that he is a very disciplined fighter, and he really takes care of himself very well. Even though he is close to 40 years old, he still remains in great condition, which is enough to fight at the higher level.
“I would say, Adonis Stevenson, with one punch, hit harder, but he never threw as much as Beterbiev. So, basically, he looks for an opportunity, and then he throws a big punch, which is as heavy as the hell. Beterbiev, on the other hand, has a very, very heavy punch,” Gvozdyk said.
Adonis Stevenson hit Gvozdyk with huge left hands in their fight in December 2018, but it was only single shots, and he didn’t react well to being hit. Beterbiev nailed Gvozdyk with non-stop punches and didn’t let up. Body shots from Beterbiev in the ninth and tenth rounds finished Gvozdyk.
“You can maybe take one of his punches, but he keeps throwing them, and basically he doesn’t let you breathe freely. That’s what makes him dangerous. He hits you once, and he throws another and another, and then it’s finished. That’s the biggest part of Beterbiev’s style. He never lets you go.
“Jab, footwork, conditioning. You have to be on top of every quality you can have. You have to be smart, you have to be careful, you have to have good defense, you have to be focused, and you have to have good condition. This is the only way to beat this guy because this guy is the real deal,” Gvozdyk said of Beterbiev.
Obviously, Bivol worked on his movement and conditioning for this fight. In a video clip of him working a week ago, he threw quick punches and retreated.
What was noticed was how much energy Bivol was expending with combined punches and three foot backs. He looked tired, and you could tell he would pass out quickly if he fought Beterbiev like this. If it was a three-round amateur fight, Bivol could use that strategy and potentially win a decision, but not in a 12-round fight against Beterbiev.
Through the rounds. Bivol will be tired and will take the punishment, and he might not see the championship rounds.
