Dmitry Bivol is “wanted man” says Bernard Hopkins

By Boxing News - 01/27/2023 - Comments

By Sean Jones: Bernard Hopkins claims Dmitry Bivol is a “wanted man,” yet no one wants to fight him.

The schooling that Bivol did with his one-sided wins over Canelo Alvarez & Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez may have scared away most of the fighters that would want to face him.

Bivol embarrassed both fighters, trouncing them in one-sided 12 round decisions and sending a message that he’s not someone you want to tangle with.

Fighters with the best shot at defeating Bivol:

  • David Benavidez
  • Artur Beterbiev
  • Joshua Buatsi
  • Caleb Plant
  • David Morrell

Canelo has been dragging his feet about making the rematch and keeps putting it off. Currently, Canelo is supposed to be fighting Bivol in September, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, but that remains to be seen.

As far as I can tell, the only guy that wants to face WBA light heavyweight champion Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) is Artur Beterbiev, and that’s a match-up that fight probably won’t happen until late this year or early 2024.

“He’s no joke. He has a style that is very unorthodox,” said Bernard Hopkins to Fight Hub TV about Dmitry Bivol. “It’s the way he’s positioning fighters to be at a disadvantage, and he continues to keep doing it, fighter after fighter,” said Bernard, sounding like a fan of Bivol.

“He’s doing it to fighters [like Canelo Alvarez] that have never been exposed like that. Styles make fights. His style is one that most fighters can adapt to. That hasn’t been figured out yet,” said Hopkins.

I hate to break the news to Hopkins, but Canelo had been exposed many times before fighting Bivol. In the last ten years, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Gennadiy Golovkin did a number on the Mexican star.

Yeah, Golovkin didn’t get credit for beating Canelo in their first two fights, but he did. Erislandy Lara and Austin Trout got the better of Canelo but weren’t given wins either.

“The fun part is what fighter can figure [Bivol’s style] out this year or 2024,” said Hopkins. “It could happen in the next fight, but I’m having fun as a fight fan to see who he knocks off or knocks him off. He is a wanted man, though.

“If you’re dirty and you fight dirty, you’re going to get beat up,” said Hopkins about it not paying off to try and rough Bivol up. “You have to capitalize on everything he does [in terms of mistakes],” said Hopkins.

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