Dmitry Bivol has clarified that his past training with David Benavidez was not sparring as claimed by Benavidez but simply part of their training routine. Benavidez had mentioned their sessions as a source of motivation for a potential fight between them, suggesting he had the upper hand. However, Bivol pointed out that in a real fight, he would be following his coach’s instructions rather than focusing on sparring tactics.
After observing Benavidez’s recent performance in the light heavyweight division, Bivol recommended that Benavidez consider focusing on the super middleweight division where his strengths in power and stamina might be more effective. Bivol acknowledged Benavidez’s ambition to face top fighters like himself and Artur Beterbiev, but reiterated the distinction between training sessions and actual fights where fighters must adapt to various strategies.
Following Benavidez’s fight against Gvozdyk, doubts arose about his preparedness to take on top contenders in the light heavyweight category, prompting Bivol to suggest that Benavidez face other highly ranked contenders first before pursuing a fight with him or Beterbiev. Bivol stressed that while sparring is beneficial for skill enhancement, it differs from a real fight where fighters must react to changing dynamics and tactics.
In conclusion, Bivol underlined the significance of adhering to coaching instructions during an actual fight and hinted that Benavidez might be drawing confidence from their past training sessions. Despite Benavidez’s self-assurance, Bivol remained focused on his own training regimen and coaching guidance, highlighting the distinction between sparring and true competitive matches.
