By Sean Jones: Eddie Hearn hopes to put together a fight between Dmitry Bivol and undefeated #2 WBA-ranked light heavyweight contender Joshua Buatsi for early next year.
With Canelo Alvarez deciding to take a tune-up fight on Cinco de Mayo in May, Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) needs an opponent for the next title defense of his WBA 175-lb belt.
Since Hearn promotes the unbeaten 2016 Olympian Buatsi (16-0, 13 KOs) as well as Bivol, it’s a natural fight to make.
It would work for British boxing fans, as they’re familiar with the 29-year-old Buatsi, but it’s not a fight that would attract a great deal of interest from U.S casual & hardcore fans.
A better choice for Bivol to fight in the first quarter of 2023 would be one of these guys:
- David Benavidez
- Caleb Plant
- David Morrell
- Demetrius Andrade
- Joe Smith Jr
- Marcus Browne
Hearn would also like to use Callum Smith as an opponent for Bivol’s next fight, but that’s the same situation. Callum isn’t popular in the States, particularly given his poor performance against Canelo Alvarez in 2019.
That was a fight where Callum perched himself against the ropes like a big bird and stayed there the entire fight, getting hit in the arms by Canelo.
It looked like Callum was afraid to take the action to the center of the ring, so he stayed against the ropes, like a dutiful sparring partner, doing his job against a high-caliber fighter.
“We want to. He’s kind of treading water a little bit after turning down the Bivol fight. Obviously, the mandatory [for Dmitry Bivol against Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez] got called, but there is a chance that Bivol fight could be next,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about the next fight for #2 WBA Joshua Buatsi against possibly Dmitry Bivol.
“I feel like it’s going to be really interesting to see what Bivol does next, with Canelo Alvarez potentially having a smaller fight in May, looking to fight Bivol in September. Then you’ve got the undisputed fight.
“[Artur] is going to fight [Anthony] Yarde, and then he’s probably going to have time off for Ramadan. When will he be ready to fight? We all have got to sort our stuff out there and see what’s next.
“You’ve got Buatsi, you’ve got Callum Smith. Everybody is treading water waiting for that big world title fight, and it’s very difficult with just two champions [Bivol & Beterbiev],” said Hearn.