Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol: Betting Preview
On February 22, Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol will battle it out for the second time – just four months after their first meeting.
These two men are widely considered to be the best light heavyweights on the planet, and also, two of the best fighters in the world. Artur Beterbiev holds a record of 21-0, whereas Dmitry Bivol is currently 23-1. The loss, of course, stems from their first meeting, when the former defeated the latter with a points decision.
It was, however, full of controversy. While Artur Beterbiev was able to have the more explosive moments and landed with real authority, the defensive work of Dmitry Bivol, in the eyes of many, should’ve been enough to get him over the finish line. In the end, though, that wasn’t the case.
So, how will they both perform this time around? Let’s try and figure it out.
Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2
Whether you bet on sports or you prefer something along the lines of Memo Casino, this has to be seen as a deeply interesting encounter. The two have such different styles and yet, they’ve both found overwhelming success in their respective careers.
In a lot of ways, it’d be easy to draw comparisons to the rivalry between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin. Many felt as if GGG won their first and perhaps even second encounter, and yet, he didn’t get the nod on the scorecards.
In our view, though, Bivol is exactly the kind of fighter who is able to make the adjustments necessary to come back and avenge his loss. If he’s more patient, slightly more attack-minded and stays on the outside, he has an excellent chance of overcoming Beterbiev.
It’s not going to be the kind of performance that blows the masses away, but when you’re trying to avoid the power and might of someone like Artur Beterbiev, you have to be cautious. In equal measure, you also need to be willing to take a few risks here and there.
Beterbiev, more than likely, will be happy to implement the same style. Yes, he’s someone who always insists on going for the finish, but his aggressive nature didn’t seem to deter Bivol in the first bout. In fact, the man who lost the fight arguably looked more composed from start to finish.
For Dmitry, you can’t afford to leave this one in the hands of the judges this time around. It’s certainly not the worst strategy in the world to try and tactician his way to a win, but if he’s left feeling perplexed by the decision again, that means he hasn’t been able to get Artur Beterbiev out of there.
It’s easier said than done but we’re talking about a guy who defeated Canelo Alvarez – and, in many ways, did so through brute force and determination. He needs to have that kind of grit again if he wants to get his hand raised.
So, for an official prediction, we’re going to say that Dmitry Bivol will defeat Artur Beterbiev via unanimous decision. If it does go all 12 rounds, though, be prepared for the possibility of more controversy.
