Roy Jones Says Bivol Has The Edge Over Beterbiev
Roy Jones Jr. has made Dmitry Bivol the favorite in his fight against Artur Beterbiev.
Both boxers face off for the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Championship on October 12. Bivol is the WBA champion who enters the bout with a sixth-round stoppage win over Malik Zinad in June. Beterbiev was meant to be the opponent on that date, but he pulled out with a knee injury. Beterbiev is the WBO, WBC and IBF champion who stopped Callum Smith in his last bout. While they may both be undefeated, Bivol has some advantages.
He is the much more active fighter of late. He fought in June, while Beterbiev fought in January. Bivol is also a much younger fighter. He is 33, while Beterbiev is 39. The recent injury record also does not bode well for Beterbiev. He pulled out before the Smith fight, while doing it against Bivol, too. Beterbiev has never boxed the distance, having stopped all of his opponents with a 20-0 record.
Roy Jones Reacts
If the fight goes into the latter stages, it may favor Bivol, who has a better gas tank. Bivol also has a bigger scalp on his resume, beating Canelo Alvarez. However, the Mexican was moving up in weight, with suggestions he had a hand problem coming into the fight. Although Beterbiev can make it an even fight, Jones gives Bivol the edge.
“No. It’s not a 50/50 fight. One, Beterbiev is much older, Beterbiev has been (knocked) down, Bivol has never been down. Bivol has been in there with who, at the time, was the pound-for-pound best in Canelo Alvarez and made him look like nothing. So it’s not a 50/50. Beterbiev has got everything to show me to bring it back to a 50/50 fight.
“Right now, Bivol has the advantage [at] 60/40. Now, Beterbiev is a hell of a guy and one hell of a fighter and has awesome power but he has also been down and the way I see it is, if someone else has knocked you down then I’ve got to get you down, you understand me? Now it’s one hell of a punch to walk through to get him down, so it’s a very dangerous game to play,” Jones said
Who Wins?
However, not everyone holds that view. Blair Cobbs picked in favor of Beterbiev. He felt that Bivol’s ability to close the distance would prove crucial. Smith had failed to keep the range despite being a much bigger fighter with a devastating left hook.
Bivol is more technically sound, but Beterbiev is deceptive with his movements. Once he gets inside, he will target the body before moving upstairs. Bivol has not experienced the power of someone like Beterbiev. With Beterbiev potentially having the chance to retire as undisputed, Cobbs backed him to come out victorious.
“Artur Beterbiev has unbelievable strength and power. I don’t know how Bivol is going to be able to fight somebody like that. That back and forth, bouncing up and down and that moving that he uses, I don’t know if that works against somebody that throws a lot of powerful arm punches. He doesn’t have to have a rhythm to whip your backside,” Cobbs said
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