May 8 (Moscow time) Dmitry Bivol won the fight against Saul Alvarez, having won one of the most important victories in the history of Russian boxing. Three months have passed since that date, and we decided to find out when Bivol will fight again. The manager of the Russian boxer Vadim Kornilov told about the main options, and to make it a little clearer, it is necessary to list the main characters of this story.
– I read about 10,000 reports about a potential fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol and decided to ask – is it even possible?
“As a sporting confrontation, this fight is very important and it would be interesting for everyone,” says Kornilov. “But there are several nuances. It seems to me that now it is more interesting if it is organized in Russia, which is practically impossible today (boxing organizations do not sanction title fights in Russia. – ). Maybe this can only be discussed in the future. There is also an interest for the United States, but to a lesser extent for certain reasons.
Also, the main problem is that boxers are now represented by different promoters and perform on different platforms. Dmitry is on DAZN, Artur is on ESPN. For the most part, we can agree. It should start with which television would show the most interest in broadcasting this fight, then the teams would discuss the conditions.
To negotiate in such a situation, the fight must be as interesting as possible. I think now it is close to such a feature. Therefore, it seems to me that we will see this fight soon. I guess it’s a matter of time.
– In early 2023, Artur Beterbiev turns 38. Do you take this factor into account? And is it possible to say that the Bivol team takes a certain advantage over time here?
– The age of each boxer is individual. In the last fight, I didn’t see any recession or signs of recession in Arthur. It’s actually in our interest that the fight happens as soon as possible. We don’t plan to put it off for long.
It seems to me that for the moment each of the boxers will continue on their way. But sooner or later, apparently, they will have to meet to determine the absolute champion in this weight class.
– In terms of premonition, what could have happened earlier: the second fight between Dmitry and Alvarez or the fight against Artur Beterbiev?
– It’s hard to predict what will happen, but I think it will be more with Alvarez. Although it would be interesting if Dmitry could unify the light heavyweight titles, i.e. in a fight with Beterbiev and then have a rematch with Alvarez.
– Purely psychologically – what motivation can Dmitry have to defeat Saul Alvarez for the second time?
– It would greatly increase Dmitry’s motivation and interest in the fight if more titles were at stake in the rematch. That is, it is possible to hold such a fight in a different weight, or perhaps a win in a rematch would guarantee further fights. I know that Dima is very motivated by the title of absolute champion. If a rematch with Canelo was a step towards such a fight, it would be a big motivation.
– Do you suppose that Canelo will ask for a second fight one category lower?
– I admit it. Of course, we’ve heard that he insists on a rematch at light heavyweight, but I can assume that Canelo will set the condition for a rematch at a lower category (76.2 kg; the first fight was in the category up to 79.3 kg – “” ). In principle, this can be discussed, and perhaps it will be interesting to some extent.
– It’s a bit surprising that after the win over Alvarez, Joshua Buatsi (16-0) and Gilberto Ramirez (44-0) are called Dmitry’s possible rivals. Judging by the statistics, they are very serious, but sometimes less popular. Why fight them?
– All The same. For Dmitry, the motivation is the absolute champion title, and these fights can be considered a step towards them. Or as a step towards revenge with Alvarez.
On top of that, Ramirez is a mandatory contender, and the fight with Buatsi could be interesting on its own and is under discussion with the possibility of being held in the Emirates. Today, it is a fairly promising territory, including financially.
– Apart from the rematch with Alvarez, does the victory over him give Bivol something as a boxer during the negotiations?
– It gives a certain status and respect. And a certain level of financial elements that will have to be respected, given this victory.
– When will Bivol box next?
– Now that the negotiations are underway, there is a high probability that Dmitry will speak before the end of the year. Most likely, the opponent will be either Ramirez or Buatsi. And the fight will take place either in the United States or in the United Arab Emirates. Most likely, Dmitry will fight with each of these boxers, the only question is in what order.
– Is it the good feeling that when Usyk beats Joshua or Bivol – Alvarez, they still don’t take away their popularity? So Joshua is still a superstar in the UK, and Alvarez is more popular than Dimitri in the US and Mexico.
– Dmitry’s popularity has increased – both popularity and recognition. But to completely remove the popularity of such stars as Canelo or Joshua… For this you need to not only defeat them, but also defeat several more boxers of this level. Still, fans in England and Mexico are very devoted to their idols. And capturing this audience is not easy. In some cases, this may not even be possible. We had no such goal. We were an important result and the victory as such was more significant.
– Dmitry said that even among amateurs, when he received the first money, he lost his mind a little. Now he received fees, which are probably different from what they were before. Will you advise him how to manage the money?
– Dima and I communicate, discuss something, share our experience. But he has a high level of financial IQ and he himself is good at managing finances. In my opinion, he is doing everything well, taking very good care of his future and that of his family. I don’t think he will have any problems with that.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
