An undefeated world champion has welcomed a fight with undisputed light-heavyweight star Dmitry Bivol up at his own weight class.
Bivol scored revenge over Artur Beterbiev back in February when the pair ran back their undisputed light heavyweight contest from October last year. In the first meeting, Bivol started well but was eventually caught by the greater volume of heavy punches from Beterbiev in the second half of the fight. Although Bivol was the first man to take him the distance, he lost via split decision.
Depending on what Bivol wants to do next, he has been invited to fight for a world title in the cruiserweight division by Australia’s current IBF ruler Jai Opetaia.
Speaking to Ring Magazine, Opetaia had plenty of praise for Bivol but didn’t shy away a the fight with him.
“I have a lot of respect for Bivol, I would love to fight him, I would love to share the ring with him, I think he’s a great fighter, and I would love to share the ring with a great fighter.
“We’re not chasing easy fights, we’re chasing great fights and I feel like that is a great fight but at the end of the day, my vision is locked on the belts. I’m chasing unification fights. Anybody who comes in between that, I’ve got to take him out. But I am locked in on the other belts, I see them in a tunnel and I am heading that way. That’s what I want, let’s make it happen.”
Opetaia is a southpaw who has beaten the likes of Mairis Briedis twice, Jack Massey and David Nyika. To get his wish of picking up all the belts he will need to take on WBA and WBO ruler Gilberto Ramirez and the WBC’s current champion Badou Jack.
His next fight, however, is a voluntary defence with Claudio Squeo – a match-up that has left him frustrated due to not being able to secure the bigger names and champions.
As for Bivol, his main options look like a trilogy with Beterbiev, a mandatory defence against David Benavidez or a move up in weight to accept Opetaia’s challenge.
