Dmitry Bivol says he studied former five-division world champion Sugar Ray Leonard’s fights to make use of his preventing model as a template for his undisputed gentle heavyweight match in opposition to Artur Beterbiev final Saturday evening in Riyadh.
The place Bivol’s technique of morphing into Leonard 2.0 failed was forgetting to interact with Beterbiev through the championship rounds from 9 by 12. The Sugar Ray-esque model that Bivol copied didn’t permit him to throw sufficient to win any of the ultimate 4 and even the ultimate six rounds. That model ruined Bivol’s possibilities of profitable.
Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) believed that the 1976 Olympic gold medalist Sugar Ray’s strategy to preventing, utilizing motion and fast mixtures, would neutralize the knockout artist Beterbiev’s punching energy. To Bivol’s credit score, it got here near succeeding. He misplaced a slim 12-round majority determination to IBF, WBC, and WBO 175-lb champion Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs)
For your entire battle, Bivol moved, threw jabs and quick mixtures, and didn’t permit Beterbiev to have a stationary goal for him to unload his nonstop energy photographs. Beterbiev was pressured to observe Bivol round, and it was troublesome for him to land something within the first six rounds.
Bivol Used Leonard’s Preventing Model
“My favourite fighter is Sugar Ray Leonard. My plan was shifting so much as a result of I used to be watching a number of Ray Leonard fights earlier than this battle, repeatedly,” mentioned Dmitry Bivol to Combat Hub TV on how he ready for the Artur Beterbiev battle by watching Sugar Ray Leonard’s fights.
“Hagler Vs. Leonard, Duran vs. Leonard 2nd battle. I used to be impressed by how Leonard was shifting all 12 rounds with out stopping. Generally, if he stops..he does a mixture after which strikes once more. He wasn’t standing [stationary],” mentioned Bivol.
The Leonard strategy would have labored for Bivol if he had the identical judges that Sugar Ray had for the Marvin Hagler battle as a result of these guys ignored the strain that was being utilized and the a lot tougher photographs that he was getting hit by. Hagler was robbed within the eyes of many followers.
Conor Benn Noticed Beterbiev As Winner
“I’m watching and going, ‘Beterbiev is in command of the battle.’ Nothing that Bivol was throwing again was efficient. He [Beterbiev] was making use of strain. He’s not the quickest of starters, however he breaks his man down,” mentioned Conor Benn to iFL TV, discussing why he noticed Beterbiev because the winner in opposition to Bivol.
The nonstop strain from Beterbiev wore Bivol down, and his actions drained his batteries. If Bivol had fought like he did in opposition to Canelo Alvarez, he’d have had a greater probability of defeating Beterbiev.
In opposition to Canelo, Bivol strictly used the in-and-out model. He wasn’t shifting across the ring in countless circles, losing power. Bivol was nonetheless contemporary within the championship rounds and completed robust. Within the Beterbiev match, Bivol used up his power along with his motion and had nothing left within the tank after six rounds. That’s why Beterbiev took over.
“I imagine he finished sufficient and undoubtedly received the second half. Bivol had a couple of good moments, however you may undoubtedly see the wear and tear and tear,” mentioned Benn. “He was slowing down. I do suppose Beterbiev received by a spherical. I believe Beterbiev is a killer. I believe he’s affected person. I believe he’s disciplined.
“The way in which he managed to remain the course. He could also be shedding rounds, however he stayed the course, and he stayed disciplined to do what he’s bought to do. Fairly a couple of of his fights have began that manner. He begins gradual and wears his man down.
“I believed Bivol did nice early on, however you may see him slowing down. I believe there have been three rounds the place he barely threw. His work regarded extra flashy. His work regarded extra flamboyant and extra eye-catching when he threw. However I don’t suppose he threw sufficient to the aggressor. I don’t suppose Bivol finished sufficient to take the belts off him,” mentioned Benn.
Bivol extremely cell Sugar Ray Leonard model got here again to hang-out him within the championship rounds in opposition to Beterbiev, as he ran out of fuel, and what little energy was gone as a consequence of his fatigue. All of the motion that Bivol did emptied his fuel tank.
