Dmitry Bivol says he studied former five-division world champion Sugar Ray Leonard’s fights to make use of his combating type as a template for his undisputed gentle heavyweight match towards Artur Beterbiev final Saturday evening in Riyadh.
The place Bivol’s technique of morphing into Leonard 2.0 failed was forgetting to interact with Beterbiev through the championship rounds from 9 by means of 12. The Sugar Ray-esque type that Bivol copied didn’t permit him to throw sufficient to win any of the ultimate 4 and even the ultimate six rounds. That type ruined Bivol’s probabilities of profitable.
Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) believed that the 1976 Olympic gold medalist Sugar Ray’s method to combating, utilizing motion and fast mixtures, would neutralize the knockout artist Beterbiev’s punching energy. To Bivol’s credit score, it got here near succeeding. He misplaced a slim 12-round majority resolution to IBF, WBC, and WBO 175-lb champion Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs)
For your entire struggle, Bivol moved, threw jabs and quick mixtures, and didn’t permit Beterbiev to have a stationary goal for him to unload his nonstop energy photographs. Beterbiev was compelled to observe Bivol round, and it was troublesome for him to land something within the first six rounds.
Bivol Used Leonard’s Combating Model
“My favourite fighter is Sugar Ray Leonard. My plan was transferring lots as a result of I used to be watching lots of Ray Leonard fights earlier than this struggle, repeatedly,” stated Dmitry Bivol to Struggle Hub TV on how he ready for the Artur Beterbiev struggle by watching Sugar Ray Leonard’s fights.
“Hagler Vs. Leonard, Duran vs. Leonard 2nd struggle. I used to be impressed by how Leonard was transferring all 12 rounds with out stopping. Typically, if he stops..he does a mix after which strikes once more. He wasn’t standing [stationary],” stated Bivol.
The Leonard method would have labored for Bivol if he had the identical judges that Sugar Ray had for the Marvin Hagler struggle as a result of these guys ignored the strain that was being utilized and the a lot more durable photographs that he was getting hit by. Hagler was robbed within the eyes of many followers.
Conor Benn Noticed Beterbiev As Winner
“I’m watching and going, ‘Beterbiev is accountable for the struggle.’ Nothing that Bivol was throwing again was efficient. He [Beterbiev] was making use of strain. He’s not the quickest of starters, however he breaks his man down,” stated Conor Benn to iFL TV, discussing why he noticed Beterbiev because the winner towards Bivol.
The nonstop strain from Beterbiev wore Bivol down, and his actions drained his batteries. If Bivol had fought like he did towards Canelo Alvarez, he’d have had a greater likelihood of defeating Beterbiev.
Towards Canelo, Bivol strictly used the in-and-out type. He wasn’t transferring across the ring in limitless circles, losing power. Bivol was nonetheless contemporary within the championship rounds and completed robust. Within the Beterbiev match, Bivol used up his power along with his motion and had nothing left within the tank after six rounds. That’s why Beterbiev took over.
“I imagine he achieved sufficient and positively gained the second half. Bivol had a couple of good moments, however you possibly can positively see the wear and tear and tear,” stated Benn. “He was slowing down. I do suppose Beterbiev gained by a spherical. I believe Beterbiev is a killer. I believe he’s affected person. I believe he’s disciplined.
“The way in which he managed to remain the course. He could also be shedding rounds, however he stayed the course, and he stayed disciplined to do what he’s received to do. Fairly a couple of of his fights have began that means. He begins sluggish and wears his man down.
“I believed Bivol did nice early on, however you possibly can see him slowing down. I believe there have been three rounds the place he barely threw. His work appeared extra flashy. His work appeared extra flamboyant and extra eye-catching when he threw. However I don’t suppose he threw sufficient to the aggressor. I don’t suppose Bivol achieved sufficient to take the belts off him,” stated Benn.
Bivol extremely cell Sugar Ray Leonard type got here again to hang-out him within the championship rounds towards Beterbiev, as he ran out of gasoline, and what little energy was gone attributable to his fatigue. All of the motion that Bivol did emptied his gasoline tank.
