By Ken Hissner: I recently did an article on whether should Bivol be No. 1 since he beat No. 1 in Canelo. It was brought to my attention that beating No. 1 doesn’t necessarily make you No. 1. Case in point would be Lopez beating No. 1 Lomachenko. He was up 6-5 and had the round of his life to win 7-5. Then Lopez loses to Kambosos, who couldn’t beat Haney in two fights.
Getting back to Bivol, he beats Canelo and 44-0 Ramirez, who Canelo wouldn’t because “he’s a Mexican?”
Bivol is on a mission. He beats No. 1 Canelo, who was smaller, and then beats unbeaten Ramirez, who was bigger!
Artur Beterbiev, 18-0 with 18 knockouts, is said to make a defense in 2023 and hasn’t fought since June. Anthony Yarde, 22-2 with 21 knockouts, has been mentioned as his opponent.
Bivol only has 11 knockouts, but his determination and brains make up for a low KO percentage. In the amateurs, Bivol was 90-11 fighting out of Russia, winning their National title in 2014 in his last amateur fight.
Beterbiev was 96-10, last fighting in Russia in 2011. Then he lost to Oleksandr Usyk, 75-15 in Baku. Then he won eight straight before again losing to Usyk at the London Olympics in 2012, ending his amateur career.
Beterbiev moved to Montreal, Canada, to start his professional career, winning his first eleven fights there. In 2015 he made his USA debut, winning the NABF title, stopping Alexander Johnson 16-2.
Then Beterbieve goes back to Canada for a pair of wins and back to the USA for four more wins, including winning the IBF World title and knocking out Erico Koelling, 23-1, out of Germany in the twelfth and final round. Then he returns to Russia for the first time since 2011, stopping fellow Russian Adam Deines, 19-1-1, fighting out of Germany.
In 2019 Beterbieve adds the WBC title knocking out Oleksandr Gvozdyk, 17-0, of Ukraine. In his last fight, he adds the WBO title by knocking out Joe Smith, Jr., 28-3, at Madison Square Garden in June of 2022. In 2019 Bivol defeated Smith over 12 rounds, comparing one similar opponent.
Bivol turns professional in Russia, winning his first three fights, and then makes his debut in the USA, winning his first title and knocking out Mexico’s Felipe Romero, 19-8-1. In his next fight, he returns to Russia, winning the WBA Inter-Continental title stopping Brazil’s Jackson Dos Santos, 17-4.
Then Bivol won the WBA Interim title in 2016, defeating Dominican’s Felix Valera, 13-0. In 2017 he knocks out Australia’s Trent Broadhurst, 20-1, for the WBA World title in the first round in Monte Carlo.
In 2018 Bivol makes his first defense, and the last time he stopped an opponent stopping Cuba’s Sullivan Barrera, 21-1, in the last round at Madison Square Garden. He makes five defenses in the USA and goes to the UK in 2021, defeating Craig “Spider” Richards, 16-1-1. Then back to Russia defeating Russia’s Umar Salamov, 26-1.
In May of 2022, Bivol is back in the USA, defeating P4P No. 1 Canelo, 57-1-2, snapping his 16-0-1 streak that 115-113 on all cards seemed generous for Canelo in his home away from home Nevada.
Next, in his most recent fight this past weekend in Abu Dhabi, Canelo stopped the forty-four fight win streak of former WBO Super Middleweight champ Gabriel “Zurdo” Ramirez by scores of 117-111 twice and 118-110 making Ramirez look like an amateur “afraid to pull the trigger!”
Afterward, Bivol talks about unifying the light heavyweight title by taking on Beterviev, whom he feels he can beat. Would it be in Abu Dhabi, Russia, or the USA? He feels confident he can beat Beterbiev, who hasn’t signed for his next fight against the UK’s Yarde, which could take place in the UK. Let’s hope by March, that happens.
In the meantime, Bivol plans another fight awaiting the winner, possibly taking on Canelo again. Even at a 172 catchweight or like their previous fight at 175. His No. 2 now that No. 1 Ramirez is out of the way is Ghana’s John Buatsi, 16-0 with 13 knockouts fighting out of the UK. He won the WBA International title in 2018 and the British title in 2019. In his last fight, he defeated Craig “Spider” Richards, 17-2-1, in May of 2022.
Maybe both Beterbiev and Bivol will fight on the same card in the UK against both UK contenders. My biggest problem with Bivol is his first name. Is it Dmitry or Dmitrii?
To this writer, Bivol has won the second of his planned three-fight schedule beating Ramirez after beating Canelo. Next, maybe it will be the WBC Super Middleweight Interim champion David Benavidez, 26-0 with 23 knockouts, whom Canelo seems to be avoiding through his No. 1 contender.
Canelo coming back from surgery, may be looking for someone easier before taking on either Bivol or Benavidez like WBC Middleweight champion Jermall “Hit Man” Charlo, 32-0 with 22 knockouts though who hasn’t fought since June of 2021, saying he plans to move up to 168. The other middleweight moving up is former WBO champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, 31-0 with 19 knockouts, whose title has already been taken at 160. It’s been eleven months since he last fought, and like Charlo, nothing is scheduled.
As far as this writer is concerned, either Bivol or Beterviev is P4P No. 1, and in 2023 we will find out!