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By Craig Page: Dmitry Bivol needs an opponent for his next fight in early 2023 after Canelo Alvarez chose to take the match in May.
Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn may have some good options for him to go overseas to England if he can’t arrange a fight with Artur Beterbiev.
With Canelo saying he wants a rematch, Bivol isn’t saying who he plans to fight next.
If Bivol is willing to move down to 168 for his next fight in 2023, he could fight David Benavidez or David Morrell. These two would be very interesting options.
The undefeated WBA ‘regular’ 168-lb champion Morrell (8-0, 7 KOs) has the belt Bivol able to fight for. However, Morrell fights on Showtime, and that could make it difficult for Matchroom to set up a fight between him and Bivol, as he fights on DAZN.
We know he would love to face IBF, WBC & WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in a title fight next year, but that won’t be possible as he is defending Anthony Yarde in early 2023.
Options for Bivol’s next fight:
- David Morrell
- Callum Smith
- Joshua Buatsi
- David Benavidez
- Demetrius Andrade
“I think the fight as it happened. Ramirez, he did everything he could. He threw a lot of body punches and tried to catch me in the body. It was not easy for me,” said Dmitry Bivol to DAZN Boxing Show when asked if his win over Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez was easy.
“It’s easy. Throughout the fight, I was focused and tried to push him all the way. I paused in round eight.
“It’s been two fights,” Bivol said when asked which was tougher between Ramirez and Canelo Alvarez. “I put more energy and focus in my fight with Canelo because I felt that I had to win every round, and I tried to do that.”
Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn may look at the possibility of lining him up with one of the British fighters, perhaps Joshua Buatsi or Callum Smith, and have him fight in England. Those will be easy matches to arrange.
Unfortunately for Bivol, the heavyweight division is barren of big names. Once you get past Beterbiev, there isn’t much for Bivol to fight. Buatsi and Callum are not well known in America, and neither are stars in the UK.
Bivol said he wants to do something different by fighting Canelo for his undisclosed 168-lb title when the two meet in September 2023.
Canelo wants to put off the rematch with Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) until the second half of next year because he wants to test his left hand that was operated on in the May fight.
Knowing Canelo, his game will be one of the top middleweights in the division and not an easy one to touch. Hopefully, Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs) wins his warm-up fight because if he loses, it could cause another delay for his rematch with WBA heavyweight champion Bivol.
“With Ramirez, twice, I thought, I can stop it from happening again,” Bivol said. “Against Canelo, all fights, It’s not about power; Of course, Canelo was a strong fighter. Canelo, his punches were harder than Ramirez, but Ramirez used more combinations. He threw three punches and Canelo one or two, then Canelo quickly.
“Little by little, we changed partners,” said Bivol when asked if he changed things during the camps of different fighters. “For a fighter like Beterbiev, you have to focus every second of the fight.
“It’s hard work to concentrate for 36 minutes. You get tired. When you focus, you add more energy. He is a good fighter,” Bivol said of Beterbiev. “Of course, you have to prepare for him. You must be ready to focus on the whole battle.
“Of course, it depends on the promoters,” said Bivol when asked who determines who will fight next. “I can say I want to fight this guy, and they listen to me and think business and do something.
“Of course, for my legacy, it’s good to fight for another belt. I made 10 pieces. Of course, I want more. I want to feel like I fought for something else, not just to defend my title.
“Maybe, I’ll drink and forget,” Bivol said when asked what he would do after beating Beterbiev. “I think I’m going to gain weight too. I like to eat
“Every time I talk about who my next opponent I want to fight is Zurdo, it was three years ago. Can I choose another option? ‘Do you want to fight in England against Richards?’ ‘Can I fight a guy who is stronger and more famous?’ ‘No, I can do it in England with Richards.’
“‘OK, I need a fight, I’m going to fight,’ and I’m used to situations like that. I can say to the promoter, ‘You can put me in any fight that’s the biggest you see. Beterbiev, I’m ready. Canelo , I prepared, but I prefer.
“I hope they will save me a lot of money to fight another boxer, no one else [Youtuber],” said Bivol when asked if he would be interested in fighting Jake Paul. “I respect him. It is great; it is strong. Hey, I’m scared.
“I respect him. He became a boxer and won some fights. It’s good. He got money and shot, but it’s not a 100% game. It’s 50-50. It’s a partial show. I want to be famous in sports. I don’t want to be famous because I talk dirty about someone.
“I don’t want to be famous because I beat some blogger or someone else. I want to be famous because I beat a real famous boxer.
“One of the best punchers is Jean Pascal. He’s not hard. Canelo, when he beats, he’s like a heavy puncher. But Pascal, he’s heavy and he’s sharp.
“Definitely, moving up to middleweight,” said Bivol when asked if he would move up to cruiserweight or 168 if he were to beat Artur Beterbeiv to become champion at 175.
“It’s good too [to fight Canelo for his undisputed super middleweight championship], but for a cruiserweight, I’m not that big. I had breakfast before I weighed,” said Bivol.
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