Bivol admits that he has to change his strategy to win the rematch

Dmitry Bivol says he understands he must try a different strategy to win the rematch with undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in their fight in 60 days on February 22 in Riyadh.

Can Bivol change?

For Bivol to win the rematch, he needs to change his fighting style from being defensive to focusing on being aggressive and staying in the pocket. With his fragile chin, lack of power, age and reluctance to take a hit, it’s unlikely that Bivol can change. He is 34 years old and quite set in his ways.

Former WBA 175-pound champion Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) isn’t coming off well and says it, but he spent too much time running from Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) after surprising him with a strong shot in the seventh round.

The 34-year-old Bivol showed no desire to hold on after that round, and the final five rounds were a long and bitter retreat. It was mind-blowing to see how Bivol gave up and ran away, giving up the battle and thinking only of survival; showed weakness and unwillingness to fight. Beterbiev took advantage of Bivol’s reluctance to fight.

I don’t know what can change in a rematch. When a fighter is scared, as Bivol showed, that doesn’t change in a rematch. This fear is still there. In the restart, the same results are obtained and the fans go home unsatisfied.

Turki Alalashikh should have matched Beterbiev against David Benavidez, Joshua Buatsi or David Morrell instead of setting up a rematch with Bivol. Dmitry should have had to win the rematch by going through one or two of these fighters instead of giving it to him after his loss.

The scores were 116-112, 115-113 for Beterbiev and 114-114. Some boxing fans felt the 116-112 was too wide, but it reflected how Bivol couldn’t hang on and fight. He used a punch and dash style, which showed that he was not willing to fight. No wonder Bivol’s punches lacked power because his mind was focused on escaping. In other words, Bivol only did damage.

Sixty days to change

Dmitry’s fans believed he had done enough to deserve the win, but it was obvious to everyone else that Beterbiev had dominated the last six rounds, putting the fear into him. Beterbiev exposed Bivol for lack of courage under fire. We had already seen Bivol look scared when Lyndon Arthur hurt him in the eighth round on December 23, 2023.

“I have another chance and (Turki Alalshikh) talked about that date the day after the fight. He wanted to do the rematch on that date. He asked me, he asked Beterbiev who said yes, and since that day I have in my mind that I will have this opportunity again,” said Dmitry Bivol a Fighthype about him getting another chance to fight Artur Beterbiev.

“Of course I have to do something different and I know what I’m going to add, I know what I’m going to change a little bit.”

The Rabbit and the Wolf

Turki gave Bivol another chance, but he won’t help him unless he fights with more heart, and stops being a shy rabbit like he was last time. Beterbiev was chasing him around the ring like a wolf for the last half of the fight, and it looked like Bivol had given up. I was just hoping to win an ugly decision.