Dmitry Bivol Confident Heading into Encounter with Canelo Alvarez
Normally, when fighters find themselves slated to be placed across the ring from boxing poster boy Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KO’s), there is a certain acknowledgement of the golden ticket aspect of the situation. This is not the case with Super WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (19-0, 11 KO’s). He will face the four-division titlist and current undisputed super middleweight champion on May 7 in the T-Mobile Arena.
Unlike any of Canelo’s last few foes, Bivol was not looking to land a fight with the Mexican redhead. Going a step further, he seems to hold no particular awe for Canelo’s massive popularity. First off, the Kyrgyzstani fighter is already a belt-carrying champion himself. Also, Bivol was held in high esteem within his own division long before his match. This is why the impending duel for Bivol is nothing out of the ordinary.
“We just need to land our punch and don’t get punched. It’s easy, easy work! I mean boxing is easy, punch harder and don’t get punched. And be focused every time.”
DEATH BY THE JAB?!
In many ways, the best thing that Bivol could do in this upcoming fight is remain true to himself and stick to the script. Really, the only major knock on the Super WBA champion is that he doesn’t go for the kill. Displeased with his “safety first” style, many fans have labeled Bivol a boring fighter. And truth be known, this stigma is largely on the mark. The tenth round of a typical Bivol bout could make a bronze statue yawn, these are facts.
Then again, while it would probably benefit him financially speaking, the Kyrgyzstani fighter is here to continue winning, first and foremost. And thus far, he has been excellent at that. Bivol has impressive in-ring intelligence, liquid footwork, sufficient hand speed, effective combination punching, solid defense, respectable power and a jab worthy of state certification. This package hitting on all cylinders, while competing at light heavyweight, could prove to be a serious dilemma for Canelo.
The jab alone is qualified to have Alvarez singing more blues than BB King in a dirt floor Georgia juke joint. From Floyd Mayweather Jr., to Erislandy Lara, Amir Khan, Austin Trout, Gennady Golovkin all the way up to Caleb Plant, elite fighters have been able to give Canelo a whole lot to think about with the jab. If Bivol is able to continue ignoring the hype surrounding this match, fight his fight and apply himself fully, then he is more than capable to topple Alvarez. It should be a delight to see how it resolves itself in the ring!
Reading Time: 3 minutes
By: Bakari Simpson
Be the first to comment