Boxing experts
Keith Ideck and Chris Mannix suggestthat WBA Super light heavyweight champion Russian Dmitry Bivol (20-0, 11 KOs) should not stare at the winner of the unification fight for all other division belts between compatriot Artur Beterbiev (17-0, 17 KOs) and American Joe Smith Jr. (28-3, 22 KOs) – will fight on June 18 in New York (USA).
Idek: Speaking purely from a financial point of view, it is most logical for Bivol to first take the fight with Gilberto Ramirez or Joshua Buatsi, and not wait for the winner of the fight between Beterbiev and Smith. Let’s be honest, Dmitry may well lose to Arthur. And in case of defeat, he will lose the chance for a financially profitable rematch with Canelo Alvarez. Theoretically, the fight against Saul will still be in force, but the wrong money will already be at stake. It seems to me that the safest option for Bivol is a fight in Britain against Buatsy, because Ramirez still has a little more to offer the champion. From what I’ve seen, Buatsi has no chance of beating Bivol. So I would choose the fight with Buatsi, wait for the September fight between Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, and then have a rematch with Canelo in December or early next year.
Mannix: I agree that a fight against Beterbiev or Smith is a huge risk for Bivol…
Idek: Well, Smith’s still not a risk. Bivol already defeated him, and he did it in one gate, with the exception of one episode in the 10th round, when Dmitry blundered a blow and was on the verge of an early defeat.
Mannix: I agree. I wonder how much money would be at stake in the fight Beterbiev vs Bivol? I’m guessing it’s not very big. I’m sure not as big as for the rematch with Canelo. This fight is for hardcore fans only, and you can’t sell it to regular fans.
Idek: That’s what I’m saying. That if you follow the financial logic, then Bivol needs Canelo. But let’s not rule out such a moment that the WBA will soon authorize a mandatory defense for Bivol – a fight against Ramirez. It would be a stupid decision at this point, but the WBA has had worse decisions. And they can insist on this in golden boy, because Ramirez is one of the top fighters of the company. You remember that even the bosses of other organizations do not understand the decisions of the WBA.
More Idek: I think the fight Beterbiev vs Bivol should take place in Russia. But now (due to the criminal invasion of Russians into the territory of Ukraine) it’s impossible. The WBA will not sanction this fight as long as the war in Ukraine continues. But given that they are both champions from Russia, it would be most logical to hold the fight somewhere in Moscow. It would also be rational, but, I repeat, now this option is unrealistic.
Mannix: I can’t even imagine where to make the fight Beterbiev vs Bivol in the USA. I remember the unification between Beterbiev and Alexander Gvozdyk. It was a great fight, but it took place in a strange arena (local university) in Philadelphia. And the fans were, to put it mildly, very few. Although the fight itself was great. So it could really force both champions to wait for the opportunity to fight in Russia.
In the meantime, several predictions for the fight Beterbiev vs Smith have already appeared: prediction and bet from WMMAAforecast by Timothy Bradley and an announcement from the outrageous Teddy Atlas.
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