Bivol Shouldn’t Exchange With Beterbiev, Says Oleksandr Gvozdyk

Oleksandr Gvozdyk says it would be a good idea for Dmitry Bivol not to exchange punches with Artur Beterbiev on Saturday. He suggests that Bivol box and move the entire fight because Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is too Powerful and busy with his punches to get in a back-and-forth type of battle.

The former WBC light heavyweight champion Gvozdyk was knocked out in the tenth round by Beterbiev five years ago in a unification clash on October 19, 2019, in Philadelphia. Gvozdyk was competitive through the seventh round but was worn down by Beterbiev’s heavy shots from the eighth through the tenth.

In hindsight, Gvozdyk made the mistake of mixing it up with Beterbiev rather than using his legs, but that’s not the type of fighter he is. Bivol is a lot more equipped to move around the ring than Gvozdyk. So, it’s possible that he can keep out of range of Beterbiev’s shots to try and win a decision.

What Bivol lacks is the power. He doesn’t possess the kind of power that Gvozdyk had when he fought Beterbiev, and he’s not going to be able to hold him off as well. Bivol’s jab isn’t as powerful as Gvozdyk’s either, and that could be a problem. He’s going to have to use his legs more to keep from getting walked down by Beterbiev and battered.

“It’s a good option for fans but not for Bivol,” said Oleksandr Gvozdyk to Round Eight Boxing about it not being a wise thing for Dmitry Bivol to exchange with Artur Beterbiev. “It might be the case, but I still think he’s a very disciplined fighter, and he’s really taking care of himself very well. Even being close to 40 years old, he still remains in great condition, which is sufficient to fight at the very top level.

“I would say, Adonis Stevenson, with a single punch, hit harder, but he never threw as much as Beterbiev does. So basically, he’s looking for an opportunity, and then he’s throwing one big punch, which is heavy as hell. Beterbiev, on the other hand, has a very, very heavy fist,” said Gvozdyk.

Adonis Stevenson was hitting Gvozdyk with huge left hands in their fight in December 2018, but it was only single shots, and he wasn’t reacting well to getting hit back. Beterbiev was nailing Gvozdyk with punches nonstop and not letting up on him. The body shots from Beterbiev in the ninth and tenth rounds finished Gvozdyk.

“You can maybe stand one of his punches, but he continually keeps throwing them, and he basically doesn’t let you breathe freely. This is what makes him dangerous. He catches you once, and he throws another and another, and then you’re done. That’s the biggest part of Beterbiev’s style. He never lets you go.

“Jab, footwork, condition. You’re supposed to be on top of every quality you can have. You have to be smart, you have to be cautious, you have to have good defense, you have to be focused, and you have to have good condition. This is the only way to beat this guy because this guy is the real deal,” said Gvozdyk about Beterbiev.

Obviously, Bivol has been working on his movement and conditioning for this fight. In a video clip of him working out a week ago, he threw rapid punches and retreated.

What was noticed was how much energy Bivol was expending with combination punching and stepping back three feet. He looked tired, and you could tell that he’d fade rapidly if he fought this way against Beterbiev. If this were a three-round amateur fight, Bivol could use that strategy and potentially win a decision, but not in a 12-round fight against Beterbiev.

By the middle rounds. Bivol will be exhausted and will take punishment, and he might not see the championship rounds.