By: Sean Crose
Dmitry Bivol has done what few have done before – beaten the great Canelo Alvarez in a boxing ring. And while some could argue that moving up once again to light heavyweight was a bridge too far for Canelo, or that he was starting to show signs of wear and tear when he and Bivol squared off in 2022, there was no doubt defending WBA champion Bivol dominated their fight. If the decision loss to Bivol wasn’t a huge upset it was certainly close to one. And yet, the now 33 year old Bivol still isn’t completely satisfied with his career.
For the 23-0 fighter has a final goal he wants to achieve – becoming the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world. Fortunately for all parties involved, and the entire boxing fan base, as well, Bivol will get his chance on October 12th when he faces fellow undefeated fighter Artur Beterbiev, owner of the WBO, WBC, and IBF light heavyweight title belts. The winner, will not only be the undisputed light heavyweight king, he will also likely find himself being ranked as one of the top pound for pound fighters on the entire earth – no small thing, to be sure.
What makes this bout fascinating, besides the fact that both fighters are undefeated and seemingly at the top of their games, is the fact that it’s hard to tell whose actually going to win this thing. Stylistically, the two men are close to opposites. Bivol is a highly skilled technician while Beterbiev is a highly skilled vehicle of destruction. Aside from the fact that Bivol has an over five year age advantage over the older Beterbiev, there’s not much about these two men that gives one the edge over the other. At least not until the opening bell, that is.
The truth is that this fight has been a long time coming. A Beterbiev injury kept this anticipated showdown from becoming a reality for longer than most would care to remember. Sure enough, it’s been said that it’s no guarantee the fight will go down in October without something getting in the way in order to delay things once more. Booth fighters, however, are clearly ready for the moment. Should he win, there’s little doubt Bivol would be willing to face Canelo once again. That, however, is nothing but a pipe dream until he bests Beterbiev. And there’s no guarantee Bivol can pull that feat off.