Via Max Schramm: Dmitry Bivol is expected to win on May 7 when he defends the WBA light heavyweight belt against rival Canelo Alvarez on May 7 on the DAZN PPV.
According to Bivol (19-0, 11 KOs), the 175-lb weight class is his weight class, and Canelo is coming into his territory, so he has to beat him to defend his belt.
While Canelo’s fans see Bivol as an easy win, it’s clear the Mexican star doesn’t hold the same view.
He seems nervous about the fight with the bigger, faster, and more mobile Bivol, and can understand why.
Unlike many of his fans, Canelo has studied Russia’s Bivol, and he knows this could be the best opponent of his career.
Bivol wants to show off his skills
“I feel like it’s part of me; That’s my belt. I’m here, champion; I should win. I just think so,” said Dmitry Bivol Boxing in the match. “He [Canelo] Bivol said.
Canelo’s decision to target Bivol signals that he believes he can beat him, but he could be very wrong. What’s missing from Canelo is a step-up opponent to prepare him for a fighter like Bivol.
Canelo has been up against a lot of European boxers from England lately, who don’t have Bivol’s level in the talent department.
If Canelo takes on Bivol right after his rematch with Gennadiy Golovkin in 2018, he will have a better chance of winning.
“Every fighter is different,” Bivol continued. “Maybe he’s met before with the speed like me, the power like me, the movement like I have, but I’m pretty sure he’s never encountered this combination like I have.
“I think that makes it difficult for him,” Bivol said of Canelo. “I’m just different. If you want to be successful, it doesn’t matter in boxing or everywhere; You have to believe in your skills.
“If you believe in your skills, you are confident in your mind and body. Now, I have a chance to show my skills to a lot of boxing fans. This is what I want when it comes to professional boxing.
“This opportunity to show off my skills, to prove to everyone that I’m a good fighter, ‘look at me.’ I just believe in my victory. If you want to have success, you have to believe,” says Bivol.
This is a great opportunity for Bivol to showcase his talents against Canelo on May 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. If Bivol can beat Canelo the way he did Jean Pascal, Joe Smith Jr and Sullivan Barrera, he will create a lot of new fans.
Canelo is a new challenge
“Of course, it was a great fight for me,“Bivol continued. “We thought about the war against Canelo a few years ago, and we had some negotiations about this fight, and when I heard the deal was done, I was ready.
“You know, every opponent is tough. It was a new challenge for me. Canelo is confident with his experience and strength, but I’m also a good fighter. Yeah, he’s good, but I don’t have to think about it all the time.
“I have to think about my training. I don’t bet on my size; I don’t bet on my strength and speed. Boxing is not just about hard punches. Bivol said.
Bivol, 31, has faced many tough opponents in his career, and he has dominated. What Canelo brings to the table is not new to Bivol, as he faces some big boxers who could be expected to hit harder if not harder than the Mexican star.
Bivol’s top opposition:
- Sullivan Barrera
- Jean Pascal
- Craig Richards
- Joe Smith Jr
- Felix Vera
- Isaac Chilemba
- Cedric Agnew
“I just threw more punches to his head and body. Of course, I will try to hurt him as much as possible if I see an opportunity to do it,” Bivol said of Canelo.
“I’m in Indio for the second time, but most of my time is in Los Angeles. This is Joel Diaz’s gym. I like it because it’s big with lots of heavy pockets. First of all, there are good feelings here. I respect Joel and Tony. To be working in their gym, it’s good.
“You feel you are in the right place. I’m here with my coach, Gennadiy. He’s been my coach since I came to pro. He was with me as an amateur. Now when you see people like this [Israil Madrimov] close to you, it gives you confidence in the right place.
“Now I don’t think about my position in light heavyweight, I’m first or I’m second. It’s not important. I have a belt, and I have to protect my belt against another opponent in a different weight class.
“This is what I am thinking now. If I’m thinking about my rank right now or my position in light heavyweight, no. I’m not a boxing fan; I’m just a boxer. I just do my job“Bivol said.
Canelo is coming to try and take over Bivol’s fortune following his 175-lb WBA title. If Bivol can return to this threat by defeating Canelo, he could earn a potential rematch.
Canelo won’t come out of a loss to Bivol without trying to avenge his loss with a rematch.
The only way Canelo will choose not to try to avenge his loss is if he gets blown out of the water by Bivol in a fight that shows he’s not in his class.
In a losing situation, Canelo can make an excuse not to participate in the rematch with Bivol.
It would make sense for Canelo not to rematch Bivol if he is defeated, because it is likely that he went too far in this fight.
Canelo would have been in a stronger position to beat Bivol if he had fought two or three excellent super-middleweights over the past four years, but he hasn’t.
Instead of fighting the creme de la creme at 168, Canelo fought these boxers:
- Caleb . Factory
- Billy Joe Saunders
- Rocky Fielding
- Avni Yildirim
- Callum Smith
