Teddy Atlas has been looking ahead to the much-anticipated rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
This light heavyweight clash was for undisputed honours back in October. It saw the two best in the division, both then unbeaten, come face-to-face across 12 close and technical rounds.
Bivol, who famously beat Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez to defend his world title, started well, boxed smart and stayed clear of Beterbiev’s power punches.
Beterbiev – the man who had up to that point knocked out 100% of the people he had faced – came on strong in the latter part of the fight, and though he didn’t land any knockout shots, he was seen to do more damage in the eyes of the judges.
Speaking to , former trainer turned pundit Atlas broke down the fight and explained why he is again siding with Bivol despite him losing the first fight.
“The reason I picked Bivol to win the first fight it’s the same reason I’m gonna pick him now. Everyone thinks that Beterbiev is the guy that has the upper hand in the mental area because he’s so mentally strong and mentally focused, and the other guy [Bivol] is more skillful athletically.
“But Bivol is the guy who’s mentally together, who’s mentally strong. That guy is mentally strong. That guy is determined, that guy is a monster. I think Bivol is a monster in his mind, too. I think he’s mentally strong in his mind, too, and I think that he’s learned things from the last fight.”
He pointed out that both fighters will have picked up plenty from their first contest.
“He got answers to questions that he didn’t have the answers to going in. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure that he could handle the boogeyman. Nobody’s ever sure. Nobody.
“No matter how you project. And he projected a stoic projection because he is strong mentally, but inside I know he still had to wonder ‘can I handle the boogeyman’. He got the answer.
“Now he knows he can be in there with the boogeyman. I think that internally it will make a difference with him, where he’ll be more consistent in certain areas, where he may have moved too much and allowed Beterbiev to be able to push him back and steal ends of rounds by keeping him defensive.
“Now he’ll be able to get a good mixture of movement and punching. I will go with Bivol in the rematch.”
