By: Sean Crose
The lengthy awaited struggle 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 stated and completed it was Beterbiev who stepped out of the ring the undisputed champion of the whole division. Not everybody was comfortable, although. Folks comparable to former world titlist Chris Algieri indicated that Bivol’s protection was aesthetically unappealing to the judges, regardless that he ought to have gained the struggle. 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 stage, excessive stakes chess match. The rematch has the possibility to play out a lot the identical manner, maybe with a special ending. It is going to possible all rely upon two issues: Can Bivol maintain Beterbiev from touchdown in any respect or can Beterbiev land on Bivol sufficient to dictate the tempo of the struggle? These two are so evenly matched it’s arduous to inform how the battle could play out.
What makes this rematch attention-grabbing, other than the truth that the primary struggle 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 way stronger than some would possibly assume. Simply ask Canelo Alvarez, who Bivol bested some years again. The second struggle between these males, very similar to the primary, will function fashion in opposition to fashion, 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 function on February twenty second, the whole card is sort of loaded. Daniel Dubois will face Joseph Parker in a heavyweight showdown. Vergil Ortiz, who had been anticipated to face Jaron “Boots” Ennis will possible sq. off in opposition to Israil Madrimov. Shakur Stevenson will sq. off in opposition to Floyd Schofield. And that’s not the whole lineup. Doubtless, followers have responded positively to the cardboard. Very positively. Whenever you win over the web, you’re doing one thing proper… particularly when you’re a significant struggle promotion. Saudi Arabia has no doubt upped the struggle sport.
