Dmitry Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn says His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has said the rematch with undisputed lightweight champion Artur Beterbiev “is on”. Hearn would not say when the rematch would take place.
Beterbiev’s promoter, Bob Arums, says the rematch will take place in Riyadh next season in October 2025. Before that, Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) will defend his newly won undisputed 175-lb championship. Beterbiev’s IBF mandate Michael Eifert may be his next opponent early next year.
Hearn is still convinced that Bivol (23-1 12 KOs) deserved the win against Beterbiev on October 12 in Riyadh. He won it 8-4. The judges saw it for Beterbiev by a 12-round majority decision, with scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 114-114. Bivol used too much movement in the latter half of the fight, especially in the championship rounds, and lost the contest.
Hearn needs to talk to Bivol before the rematch to let him know that he needs to fight more aggressively because he seemed to run in rounds 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. This came after Beterbiev hurt Bivol in round 7 and took the fight out of him.
“His Excellency has told us that the rematch has taken place. Therefore, we will wait for the final confirmation of this,” said Eddie Hearn to Fight Hub TV on the rematch between undisputed lightweight champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Hearn left out the part about the rematch happening in October 2025, but that’s where it will likely be. He will need to find an opponent to keep Bivol sharp before the rematch. Someone who can approximate Beterbiev’s style would be ideal.
Beterbiev’s trainer John Scully said Bivol’s decision to run in the last three rounds cost him the fight because he gave away the crucial part of the fight. Scully points out that when a fighter finishes strong in the last three rounds, like Beterbiev, they often win. Bivol was on the run and had no interest in fighting anymore. He was just trying not to be defeated.
“You can’t win the last three rounds and say, ‘I think I won.’ said Beterbiev’s trainer, John Scully, to the Once with George channel, talking about Dmitry Bivol’s failure to win the last three rounds against Artur Beterbiev due to his choice to move instead of fight.
“Artur finished super strong. He had him on the run. If you’re a fighter, you don’t want to be the fighter with your face all beat up and I’m constantly moving. There’s a reason you’re moving. You’re moving because the guy doesn’t hit hard.
“If you move just to get out of the way, it’s hard to feel like a winner. I’d rather be the guy who comes forward. You can’t say that Artur wasn’t trying to make the fight. He was with a master boxer,” Scully said about to Beterbiev who fought with a technical boxer in Bivol.
“If he (Beterbiev) was with a guy who was a tough opponent, but he was a banger, we would go home in three rounds. His power did not leave him. If someone boxes a guy who is so careful and that precision, no you’re not nice. Look at all the punchers who fought him and couldn’t do anything,” Scully said.
Bivol’s movement in the second half of the fight made it impossible for Beterbiev to see clearly why he was chasing. It was interesting to see how Bivol changed his fighting style to perform against Canelo Alvarez, Gilberto Ramirez, Lyndon Arthur and Malik Zinad. Bivol fought aggressively against those fighters, but it was a completely different fight against Beterbiev.
