Foster didn't have the competition to experience the movement, length, and skill of Bivol. It could be competitive but I would probably say Bivol.
Bivol is excellent and i like him but i think he is a bit too defensive to beat the 6'3 Foster. Foster had a terrific jab and it will be very difficult for Bivol to dart in and out of range of his jab while also protecting himself from Foster's right hand and especially his left hook. I do think Bivol will have some success and win some rounds but ultimately, i think Foster's length would mean that unlike Beterbiev, he will be able to land super clean at some point. I am picking Foster by a competitive decision with an outside decision of a ko if he can land his left hook super clean.
Prime Bob Foster ain't a 40 years old Beterbiev ,,, Bivol hasn't the power to keep Foster off and he connects on Bivol. As dmt said Fosters jab would stymie any Bivol offense and control the fight Fighters on 2 distinctly different levels.
I have a question for people in general, what would it genuinely take for you guys to pick Bivol? Because I get the feeling that he could beat everyone in the division and most would still pick against him here. Bivol has much better fundamentals, balance etc, he’d go up and down with the jab, fire that right over Foster’s jab, keep Foster off balance and be able to outbox him.
Don’t forget, the advantages you probably think Foster would be able to implement, he actually doesn’t have as much as people think. That’s size, Bivol isn’t a big 175lbs, but Foster fought in the before day weigh in era and indeed weighed like 170lbs for some of his fights, closer to 168lbs, so Bivol would actually be coming into the ring heavier than Foster.
Bivol has been my favorite fighter of the current era, but splitting 2 indecisive fights w/ Beter leaves his legacy in limbo IMO (Beter being a fighter whose own legacy is in limbo as well IMO).
It would require Bivol to have more power for me to pick him. Its not easy to fire a right hand over Foster's jab. Any time Bivol fires a right hand, he risks being nailed with a left hook. I think we have to remember Foster had very fast hands. His left hook will arrive with more speed than Beterbiev's punches. So Bivol would be forced to keep his right hand glued to his face to block incoming left hooks. Not impossible for Bivol to win but stylistically i haven't seen him fight a 6'3 quick handed light heavyweight with extraordinary power.
Going with what we know, Bivol has proven his chin by twice going 12 with Beterbiev. And his stamina and output was never in question. Foster of course is the more proven great through longevity but I don’t know weather or not his opposition was truly better. This might be a tossup