Dmitry Bivol Wins the ‘Real Combat Media Boxer of 2022’ After Beating Canelo & Ramirez
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan (December 28th, 2022)– In a 12-round titular fight whose outcome appeared to be anything but an upset, the talented Dmitry Bivol, 21-0 with eleven knockouts, Indio, California by way of Kyrgyzstan, outworked the smaller Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, 58-2-2 with 39 knockouts, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in the main event at T-Mobile Arena, on May 7, 2022, to retain the World Boxing Association Super World Light Heavyweight title.
In defeating Alvarez, the pound-for-pound best overall all-around fighter in the world to that point, and subsequently defeating 44-0 Gilberto Ramirez, another world super middleweight champion attempting to move up in weight class, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on November 5, 2022, Bivol also gained Real Combat Media Fighter of the Year 2022 honors.
The scores of 115-113, 115-113, 115-113, meant Canelo could have drawn the bout if he had won only one more round. Canelo could not, and got beaten by a taller fighter with a longer reach. Simply put, a taller fighter with a longer reach should have been able to outland and outscore Canelo by the numbers, and finally, a fighter came along who did. Canelo, boxing far above the welterweight division which he once dominated, was way above his head in ascending to the 175 pounds weight class where he had beaten Sergei Kovalev for the WBO World light Heavyweight title three years earlier.
At the time Bivol versus Alvarez took place, Alvarez held the distinction of being the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Perhaps this is still true. As Archie Moore often remarked, the jump between weight classes going up is not an easy ascendance. Moore felt he could beat Rocky Marciano in a rematch, and Marciano had beaten him because he did not have enough time to make the transitional weight class adjustment from light heavyweight to heavyweight, and Moore and Marciano were cruiserweights weighing under 200 pounds by today’s standards.
Bivol was a 5 ½ to 1 odds underdog at the time he fought Canelo. Critics were not looking at Bivol’s abilities. Bivol is today 32 years old, to the IBF, WBC, and WBO World Light Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev’s 37 years old, will be turning 38 on January 21, 2023, meaning Beterbiev could be close to 40 years old by the time Bivol faces him. If Bivol can handle Canelo now, and again in 2023, Beterbiev could be his final major challenge in the 175-pound division.
In the post-fight interview with DAZN’s Chris Mannix, Bivol clarified “I keep (I have retained my WBA World Light Heavyweight) this belt. I respect Canelo and I thank him (for this opportunity). I always believe in myself. If you don’t believe in yourself, you’ll never achieve what you want.” Bivol kept a solid distance range and a fast tempo, landing jabs, and crisp one-two-punch combinations while not allowing Canelo to set the pace.
“This is boxing. Bivol is is a great champion. Sometimes in boxing, you lose. I lost today and he won. Bivol is a really good fighter. He manages his distance very well, and he has a good jab. I also felt his power. No excuses. He’s just (I lost to) a great fighter.”
Canelo, who defended his undisputed World Super Middleweight titles recently by outpointing Gennady Golovkin in Alvarez versus Golovkin III, could be facing Bivol in a Cinco De Mayo rematch in May 2023. If not Bivol could be facing Beterbiev if Beterbiev can get past challenger Anthony Yarde next month at Wembley Arena. Russian-Canadian Beterbiev will not be looking for a decision on enemy soil in the United Kingdom if Bivol versus Beterbiev is to follow.
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