The Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol gentle heavyweight headliner battle outshines the assembled undercard fights introduced yesterday for his or her October twelfth occasion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A Lackluster Undercard
It’s a disgrace that there wasn’t a top quality chief help bout added to the cardboard that would do justice for the principle occasion. As an alternative, you’ve received WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson defending towards Joe Cordina.
The issue is that this battle shall be bought primarily by informal boxing followers, they usually anticipate a superb co-feature bout on a PPV card. Shakur wants a knockout artist as an opponent to make him value watching as a result of his fights are at all times boring.
Promoter Eddie Hearn ought to have left Cordina off the cardboard and as a substitute matched Shakur towards Edwin De Los Santos in a rematch.
Many boxing followers want to see that battle as a result of Shakur was stuffed with excuses final November when he turned his battle towards De Los Santos right into a observe meet. Afterward, he blamed a hand damage for his nonstop motion, but he didn’t supply De Los Santos a rematch to point out he might beat him with out operating.
If the headliner between IBF, WBC, and WBO champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) and WBA champ Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) is an thrilling sufficient battle, it received’t matter if the undercard fails to curiosity the common fan.
Undercard Breakdown
– Shakur Stevenson vs Joe Cordina
– Chris Eubank Jr vs Kamil Szeremeta
– Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke II
– Jai Opetaia vs Jack Massey
– Ben Whittaker vs Liam Cameron
– Skye Nicolson vs Raven Chapman
– Mohammed Alakel vs Jesus Gonzalez
Beterbiev vs. Bivol: A Struggle That Might Stand Alone
“I might be blissful for this to be a one-fight card. That’s how a lot I need to see Bivol vs. Beterbiev,” stated Ade Oladipo on his YouTube channel, speaking in regards to the gentle heavyweight conflict between unified champion Artur Beterbiev and belt-holder Dmitry Bivol on October twelfth.
Ade is true. This might have been much better if the promoters had skipped the undercard and simply centered on Beterbiev vs. Bivol as the one battle. In fact, nobody does that, however it could have been higher than having a bunch of mismatches that haven’t any compelling worth. So far as I can inform, the one battle on the undercard that’s aggressive on paper is the rematch between heavyweights Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke.
“I believe that is going to be sensational—a puncher vs. a boxer, and each Russians,” stated Ade in regards to the Beterbiev vs. Bivol conflict. “They each skilled on the Russian crew. Beterbiev was a senior, and Bivol was a junior. Typically, I really feel that Beterbiev appears down on Bivol, ‘You’re a junior.’ I can’t look ahead to this.”
Bivol, 33, is the favourite to win this battle amongst followers and oddsmakers, however Beterbiev might pull off a shock. The query mark about Beterbiev is whether or not his not too long ago injured knee is 100%. He’s not had a lot time to rehab it, and he won’t be at full capability for this match.
“You’ve received plenty of personalities on this card and the co-main occasion between Shakur Stevenson and Joe Cordina,” stated Ade. “Some have critiqued this. I’ve critiqued it just a little bit. I perceive why Joe is taking this battle; if it comes throughout your desk and your Joe Cordina, I imply, the co-main for Bivol-Beterbiev.
You’re getting paid, and also you’re getting the possibility to battle a pound-for-pounder. For those who beat him, it’s [great]. I get it. For Shakur Stevenson, it’s a bizarre one. You’re combating a man that’s shifting up a weight class. Sure, I do know Joe has fought at light-weight earlier than.”
You possibly can’t blame Cordina for taking this battle. He’s getting paid nicely and given a right away title shot after dropping his IBF tremendous featherweight title to Anthony Cacace final Might. You don’t see too many ex-champions being given rapid title pictures that don’t contain a rematch with the fighter that beat them.
Cordina was having issues making 130, which might clarify why he selected to not push for a rematch towards Cacace. Nonetheless, given how one-sided that battle was, it’s questionable whether or not he would have chosen to battle him once more as a result of the end result would have been unhealthy for him.
“You’re combating a man that’s shifting up a weight class, coming off a loss,” stated Ade. “That’s an odd one. Have been there no different 135-pounders? If this a case of Eddie [Hearn] signing him [Stevenson] to a one or two-fight deal, and that is Eddie doing Joe a favor. I don’t know.”
There have been many 135-pounders that Hearn might have used as Shakur’s opponents, however a few of them would have doubtless crushed him. That wouldn’t have been good for Hearn as a result of he’s thinking about signing Shakur to a long-term deal subsequent 12 months. Furthermore, he’s throwing a bone to Cordina, who wants a hand proper now as a result of he is likely to be achieved as a fighter. This might be like a going away current if he retires quickly.
“It is a battle that has been critiqued probably the most. It’s a disgrace for Joe as a result of if he had crushed [Anthony] Cacace, Joe shifting up, it’s an amazing match-up. Joe will ask some questions [of Shakur] as a result of Joe is an effective boxer as nicely, and we all know we will crack just a little bit. Finally, that is nonetheless boxer vs. boxer and Shakur is the higher boxer,” stated Ade.
