Despite undisputed clash, Riyadh Season’s impact remains unclear

By Joe Hughes

THE most anticipated fight of the year for many happens this weekend when Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev square off for the undisputed light-heavyweight championship of the world. It’s a classic stylistic clash of boxer vs puncher, even though both can box and both can punch. Bivol is a masterful boxer and has the classic Russian amateur in-and-out footwork and punching style. 

He’s very light on his feet and accurately throws fast, hurtful combinations. Beterbiev is the proverbial wrecking machine; he’s very strong, very powerful and he does not lack for skill either. However, his style is less pretty in the eye than that of his countrymen.

It’s a true 50/50, and I personally have found it very hard to pick a winner. You could flip a coin on who may win, and it wouldn’t be a bad guess. I’ll go for Beterbiev in a very, very close fight, but I wouldn’t be shocked by any result. It’s great for boxing that these sorts of fights are happening, but it’s still unclear how ‘Riyadh Season’ will affect boxing long term, positively or negatively.

Post-retirement marathon

My wife and I ran a Trail Marathon last Saturday in aid of the Erb’s Palsy Group UK. I’ve never really been very good at running, although I have done a lot of it due to boxing. I didn’t enjoy running either while I was competing, I think because it was something I felt I had to do rather than something I wanted to do. 

Since I’ve retired, I have enjoyed it a lot more, and surprisingly, I actually really enjoyed the event last weekend. I didn’t prepare properly for it and only ran a handful of times in the month leading up to it, which resulted in me suffering a few hamstring cramps that stopped me in my tracks.

I found myself falling over and stretching in the middle of random fields multiple times. I was never dropped in my boxing career but took a few eight counts over the 26 miles. 

I’ve struggled to find a challenge that interests me after boxing but this was one and it’s something I think I’ll start doing more of and it was very rewarding to be able to raise some money for a great cause.