WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol is preparing to face IBF/WBC/WBO champion Artur Beterbiev this summer, and he believes that his key to victory lies in making Beterbiev uncomfortable during the fight.
Bivol, who holds a record of 22-0 with 11 knockouts, sees weaknesses in Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) and intends to exploit them when they meet in Saudi Arabia.
In order to exploit Beterbiev’s vulnerabilities, Bivol understands that he needs to avoid getting knocked out early in the fight.
Bivol is known for his movement in the ring but acknowledges that he cannot rely solely on his footwork to evade Beterbiev’s pressure throughout the entire fight.
Although Bivol is adept at backing straight up, he realizes that lateral movement to escape pressure is not his strong suit, especially as he has not faced many elite fighters in his career.
Reflecting on the upcoming bout, Bivol emphasized the importance of capitalizing on moments that make Beterbiev uncomfortable while also avoiding situations that play into Beterbiev’s strengths.
Bivol also acknowledged the challenge of facing Beterbiev’s relentless pressure in the ring, describing it as a demanding test.
