Kingdom Arena: Riyadh Season: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
There’s plenty of things you can say about boxing. For example; it’s crooked, there’s too much politics, etc. But when it comes down to it, the skill at the top of the sport when the best fights the best is beautiful to watch. And now that there is a new undisputed king in the sweet science, the question on everyone’s mind is what is next for Artur Beterbiev?
First lets take a look at how things are going for Turki Al-Sheikh. Yes, he and the oil money have provided battles that most likely would have never been made otherwise. However, the crowds that are in attendance are not packed, let alone with fans that can truly enjoy what is on the line. It’s still more of a “rich country’s party”. There needs to be a line in the sand by promoters that these fights should be held where the knowledgable fans are.
No one who loves the sweet science wants to sit through a fireworks display or a mini concert. Get on with the fights. And if there was a question of whether this host country is dirty, allowing a worldwide terrorist thug like Ramzan Kadyrov in the venue let alone to go into the ring to celebrate shows it’s colors.
But onto the fight. It was the ultimate battle of two-halves. Looking at the big picture though, Beterbiev used his ring generalship and small bursts of aggression to come away with the majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 116-112). What really cost Dmitry Bivol was dispite him being cleaner with his counters, a solid jab, and a really nice hook; was him covering up as much as he did. Beterbiev’s striking just looked and sounded differently. He just got a bigger reaction to his punches than Bivol got on all those clean shots. And Beterbiev’s cardio was off due to his recent knee surgery, that too plays a factor to the judges.
What Is Next For Artur Beterbiev
Although both fighters said they’d be willing for a rematch, there was no rematch clause in the contract. So next up SHOULD be the winner of David Morrell and David Benavidez. And both those scraps would be very intriguing battles.
Morrell is slicker than Bivol is, while Benavides is like Beterbiev. When going downhill with forward pressure is hard to stop. A key factor that will play a part of the storyline is Beterbiev will be 40 if that fight can happen. Everyone slows down eventually and it could be that next fight it shows up. Benavidez throws punches in bunches although there is a question if his pop has followed him up to 174 from 168.
Defensively Bivol is the best of the three. So much so that it cost him on this night. And Beterbiev really didn’t go with his truly best weapon that much; shots to the body. As well as missing a lot. But keeping his hands in Bivol’s face helped.
Morrell would have a solid five inch reach on Beterbiev. He just hasn’t been tested as much as the others. Morrell does counter well and has an above average hook from in close. Inside Benavidez mixes it up, but standing in front of Beterbiev opens himself up to get chinned. If it’s one of those two, or even that rematch Beterbiev needs to work the body to slow these guys down.
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