Artur Beterbiev says he has done “a lot of work” to prepare for his fight with Dmitry Bivol, and is ready to do business against him on Saturday night in Riyadh. IBF, WBC, and WBO light heavyweight champion Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) is ready to knock down WBA belt holder Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) in their fight at the Kingdom Arena.
(Photo credit: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry Promotions)
During today’s workout in front of the media, the silent killer Beterbiev showed off his unusual way of doing pushups, bending his wrists while doing them, which looked painful. Beterbiev’s wrists are so strong that he can bend while doing pushups.
Interestingly, the 39-year-old Beterbiev looks the same age as the 33-year-old Bivol and the only indication that he has aged is his recent injury. Beterbiev is coming off a knee injury that required surgery, and there are questions about whether he’s 100 percent.
In Beterbiev’s practice today, he didn’t show much movement, which means he’s not as healthy as he looks. Either way, Bivol will test Beterbiev’s knee strength. He will use a lot of movement and probably lean on himself during the clinic.
THAT is a wrist test 🤯#BeterbievBivol | Saturday | #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/TMlldQZ46r
– Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) October 9, 2024
“Whenever you go in with Beterbiev, it’s not easy. The boy is a nightmare. He’s a boogeyman,” Teddy Atlas in Queensberry said of Artur Beterbiev. “The worst mistake you can make with Beterbiev is to think he’s a good peach. You are more than that.
“Bivol is a very civilized boy. He controls the range, has quick hands, and combines his punches.
“He can fight you. He can keep you at the end of his jab and touch you up. He can get angles, and he can create traps. He can do all those things,” continued Atlas about Bivol. “Another boy [Beterbiev] he is a person who wants to destroy, but it is probably not right to say what I just said.”
Bivol is more polished than Beterbiev and fights more like a younger version of Wladimir Klitschko. His style is very similar to how Wladimir fought in his 20’s before he met Emanuel Steward and became a top hitter.
“He can do it with a hard jab, he can give you a little power and keep you off balance,” Atlas said of Beterbiev. “He’s making a little move that I think people know about. If he notices that your feet are not placed, bop. He will jump with a jab.
“I wouldn’t advise any of you in the ring to jump into the fire because you can get caught if you enter, but you are smart. He sees the young man’s feet coming out. This way you close the gap quickly,” said Atlas.
Beterbiev can use his jumping style with his jab because he has a good chin and can catch his opponents mid-leap. Most fighters won’t be able to get away from fighting that way because boxing resistance won’t allow them to.
People wonder, ‘How did you attack me so quickly?’ That’s how he came to you. “He does little subtle things that go beyond the cave that comes with the club,” said Atlas. “He is more than that but the responsibility will be on him to close the gap a little bit. Bivol would be very comfortable being a foreign owner.
“Beterbiev, at some point, will need to close the gap. If you are trying to close the gap to an opposition player who knows what he is doing and knows how to control the width. It’s like going to a bad place. Don’t be robbed,” said Atlas.
The Silent Killer ⚔️#BeterbievBivol | #RiyadhSeason | Oct 12, live on DAZN | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/00PTXkes8S
– DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 9, 2024
