By: Sean Crose
The lengthy awaited combat lastly went down again in October in Saudi Arabia. Dmitry Bivol and Arthur Beterbiev battled for mild heavyweight supremacy in an intensely shut 12 spherical affair. When all was mentioned and executed it was Beterbiev who stepped out of the ring the undisputed champion of all the division. Not everybody was joyful, although. Individuals akin to former world titlist Chris Algieri indicated that Bivol’s protection was aesthetically unappealing to the judges, regardless that he ought to have received the combat. Others, after all, felt in a different way than Algieri. A rematch was clearly so as.
And now that rematch is about to go down, for it was introduced on Monday that Bivol -Beterbiev 2 will transpire February twenty second in Saudi Arabia. Though the primary match wasn’t a barn burner, it was a excessive degree, excessive stakes chess match. The rematch has the possibility to play out a lot the identical manner, maybe with a distinct ending. It’ll doubtless all rely on two issues: Can Bivol preserve Beterbiev from touchdown in any respect or can Beterbiev land on Bivol sufficient to dictate the tempo of the combat? These two are so evenly matched it’s arduous to inform how the battle might play out.
What makes this rematch attention-grabbing, other than the truth that the primary combat was so shut, is the caliber of boxing that can be on show in Saudi Arabia. Beterbiev is a tough hitting, successfully aggressive, grasp of ring dominance. Bivol, on the opposite gloved hand, is a defensive maestro who is much stronger than some may suppose. Simply ask Canelo Alvarez, who Bivol bested some years again. The second combat between these males, very similar to the primary, will characteristic type in opposition to type, technique versus technique, and – in the end – efficiency versus efficiency. Once more, it’s arduous to inform how the battle will play out.
Whereas the sunshine heavyweights would be the characteristic on February twenty second, all the card is kind of loaded. Daniel Dubois will face Joseph Parker in a heavyweight showdown. Vergil Ortiz, who had been anticipated to face Jaron “Boots” Ennis will doubtless sq. off in opposition to Israil Madrimov. Shakur Stevenson will sq. off in opposition to Floyd Schofield. And that’s not all the lineup. Doubtless, followers have responded positively to the cardboard. Very positively. Whenever you win over the web, you’re doing one thing proper… particularly if you happen to’re a significant combat promotion. Saudi Arabia has doubtless upped the combat recreation.
