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 take the rest of the fight because Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is too strong and busy with his punches to get into a back-and-forth type of fight.
Former WBC light heavyweight champion Gvozdyk was knocked out in the tenth round by Beterbiev five years ago in a unification bout on October 19, 2019, in Philadelphia. Gvozdyk was competitive in the seventh round but was overwhelmed by Beterbiev’s heavy shots from the eighth to the tenth.
In retrospect, Gvozdyk made the mistake of mixing it up with Beterbiev instead of using his legs, but that’s not the type of fighter he is. Bivol is more equipped to walk in the ring than Gvozdyk. Therefore, it is possible that he can overcome Beterbiev’s range of shots to try to win the decision.
What Bivol lacks is strength. He doesn’t have the kind of power that Gvozdyk had when he fought Beterbiev, and he won’t be able to stop him either. Bivol’s jab isn’t as powerful as Gvozdyk’s, and that could be a problem. He will have to use his legs a lot to avoid being taken down by Beterbiev and beaten.
“It’s a good choice for the fans but not for Bivol,” said Oleksandr Gvozdyk in Round Eight Boxing about the unwiseness of Dmitry Bivol’s trade with Artur Beterbiev. “That may be the case, but I still think he’s a solid player, and he takes very good care of himself. Even though he is close to 40 years old, he is still in good shape, good enough to fight at the highest level.
“I would say, Adonis Stevenson, with one punch, hit a lot, but he didn’t throw as much as Beterbiev did. So, basically, he wants an opportunity, and he throws one big, hard as hell punch. On the other hand, Beterbiev has a very hard punch,” said Gvozdyk.
Adonis Stevenson was hitting Gvozdyk with big left hands in their fight in December 2018, but it was only one shot, and he didn’t react well to the retaliation. Beterbiev was pounding Gvozdyk relentlessly and relentlessly. Body shots from Beterbiev in the ninth and tenth rounds finished Gvozdyk.
“Maybe he’ll stop one of his punches, but he keeps throwing himself, and he doesn’t really let you breathe easy. This is what makes him dangerous. Catch it once, throw it again, and you’re done. That’s a big part of Beterbiev’s style. He never lets you go.
“The jab, the footwork, the stance. You have to be on top of every quality you can be. You have to be smart, alert, have good defense, focus, and good posture. That’s the only way to beat this guy because this guy is who he really is,” Gvozdyk said of Beterbiev.
Obviously, Bivol has been working on his moves and his stance for this fight. In a video clip of him working on it last week, he quickly threw punches and backed away.
What is noticeable is how much power Bivol used by combining the fist and stepping back three feet. He looked tired, and you could see that he would disappear quickly if he fought like this with Beterbiev. If this was a three-round freshman fight, Bivol could use that tactic and win a decision, but not in a 12-round fight against Beterbiev.
In the middle rounds. Bivol will be tired and punished, and may not see the championship rounds.
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