By Dan Ambrose: Eddie Hearn says he’s not ruling out 168 as the weight for the September Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol rematch.
Although Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs) and his trainer/manager Eddy Hearn prefer the second fight with Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) to take place at 175, having the contest take place at 168 with all four of Alvarez’s super middleweight titles on the line is an option.
Hearn says he doesn’t think it’s a good idea for Bivol to melt down from his normal weight class at light heavyweight to fight for the first time at 168 against a talent like Canelo. Bivol would be putting himself at a tremendous disadvantage by coming down in weight, and he could regret it.
Some fighters are never the same when they drain down to fight in a weight class that isn’t suited to them. A classic example is former IBF/WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, considered the #1 fighter in the 175 lb division from 2008 to 2012.
Dawson, a tremendous talent, made the mistake of coming down to 168 to challenge Andre Ward for his WBA, WBC & Ring Magazine super middleweight titles in September 2012 and was knocked out in the tenth round.
In that fight, Dawson looked completely drained, and was worked over by Ward and ultimately knocked out in round ten. Sadly, Dawson’s career was never the same after that defeat, as he was knocked out by Adonis Stevenson in the first round in his next contest in 2013, and later beaten by Tommy Karpency and Andrzej Fonfara before ending his career in 2019.
“Can you imagine people’s response if Canelo made Bivol drain down to 168 and beat him? What would they say?” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about Dmitry Bivol wanting the rematch with Canelo Alvarez with his four super middleweight title at stake.
“‘Oh, he couldn’t beat him at 175, so he made him come down to 168.’ Canelo says, ‘Same terms as last time. You beat me. I need everything the same to prove I shouldn’t have lost that night and to prove I can beat you.’ That’s what he’s thinking.
“I don’t rule out 168, but they [Canelo & manager/trainer Eddy Reynoso] want it at 175. Bivol quite likes 168 because it’s a chance for him to become undisputed. I don’t think it’s necessarily a great look for Dmitry Bivol to make 168 for the first time in his professional career against Canelo Alvarez. But that’s the fight Saul wants. He’s desperate for that fight, desperate.
“Who knows what’s going to happen with Beterbiev? Obviously, the WBC made their statement the other day about it. He’s got to fight Callum Smith now. So really, in terms of a September fight or July/August, Bivol has got either a voluntary defense or he’s got to fight Canelo Alvarez because I don’t see that Beterbiev fight happening just yet,” said Hearn.
