https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/bivol-beterbiev-2-vs-beterbiev-gvodzyk-match.733609/ Beterbiev KO is the most popular verdict but I still got Bivol tbh
I'd favor 2014 to 2019 Beterbiev by KO, as that version was an absolute beast. But I always figured Bivol having the tools to upset him on a good day, even back then.
I would favour prime Bivol over any version of Beterbiev. Beterbiev's improved verions will only try to add more pressure, that's all. His IQ would be more pressure. His game plan would be more pressure. His training would be more pressure. Like it or not, that is what beterbiev is, there is nothing else and there never was nothing else apart from that in beterbiev. Imho it was clear that "more pressure" is not enough to win to Bivol, unless you rob him, ofc.
Beterbiev was faster with his feet back then as opposed to now. He would close distance much quicker. In the second fight with Bivol, In rounds 4-6, that pressure was giving Bivol a lot of issues until Beterbiev got tired. He didn't get tired in his prime. That pressure in rounds 4-6 would have been like that for most of the night. Bivol won a MD over Beterbiev where one judge had him winning 7-5. If he at his best can win a majority decision against a 40 year old Beterbiev, I don't think the same would happen if he was much younger. The pressure would get there more quicker with younger and healthier legs and he wouldn't get tired and he's rugged on the inside. I think Bivol would get overwhelmed.
It's not even close against a lesser and injury free Beterbiev. He'd have Bivol out mid to late rounds, at worst.
Beterbiev is the only 40 year old in history where it ia a monumental achievement to beat him in an undisputed super fight. A win for any other 40 year old is an upset. B-Hop, Foreman, Moore included.
I always thought before their actual fights, I predicted that Bivol would win both fights, which I felt he deserved to win both, but I always thought that Beterbiev would stop him prime for prime, he’d impose his size and he’d be able to keep up the pace better. So many were saying for the rematch ‘Beterbiev didn’t step it on him until late on, if he puts it on him from the off, he’ll definitely take it’, but I knew that all that would mean is that he’d tire and Bivol would just take the late round rather than the early rounds because the 40 year old Beterbiev can’t keep up the pace. It actually looked from think round 3-6 that the fight was slipping away from Bivol and that Beterbiev was really getting to him, if that was Beterbiev from the Gvozdyk fight, he’s able to keep up the pace, make Bivol work with his legs more than he want until he can’t, the Bivol becomes stationary and gets taken out.
A 40 year old Artur coming off a ruptured meniscus pushed Bivol to the brink.... it should be self evident imo that a 34 year old Beterbiev would have more to him in which to get the victory. In fact, I think a late 20s early 30s Artur stops Bivol late.
