Dmitry Bivol vs Matthew Saad Muhammad

I have Bivol ahead late as Saad just cant figure how to get to him but then starts closing the distance, hurting Dimitri before finally catching him in rd. 13

 

Saad all day

 

Saad by late stoppage.

 

12 or 15?

 

X4

 

If Beterbiev isn't stopping Bivol then I struggle to see how someone much cruder in Saad would. Bivol pokes and prods his way to a dull decision.

 

Id probably lean towards Saad, excellent as Bivol is.

Nah mate, Saad was anything but crude. I'm not sure why this gets bandied about still tbh unless people haven't watched his fights extensively - his reputation as a warrior who had so many tough fights has distorted his actual ability as an offensive boxer puncher.

Occasionally wild, sometimes reckless, hittable and famously could be pulled into a ruck, but he was a very sophisticated boxer puncher with a layered, nuanced offensive approach when he was focused. A really great mid to long range technical punching arsenal with both hands as well as being a formidable counter puncher. He held his own and more skillwise with Conteh, EMM, Parlov, Kates etc and his advanced skillset separated him from Lopez and Johnson in the end, albeit requiring his great chin and endurance/willlpower too.

Beterbiev is actually the more basic and straight ahead of the two of them, visibly so. More consistently tidy within his own approach perhaps in terms of short hard punches but far more straight ahead and one note in terms of nuance and avenue of attack. His size, strength and power are more of a factor in getting by, and against clearly inferior fighters than faced by Saad.

 

A few weeks ago I'd have said Saad, and pointed at the Conteh fights as for why. But after seeing Bivol negate Beterbiev's offensive arsenal; and the movement, offensive combos and ability to position himself to land those combos, I think I'm leaning Bivol.

However, it'd definitely be a close fight which I could see Saad winning. He clearly was able to take away and punish the jab of a fighter like Conteh, he'd be able to land and punish Bivol too. And there'd be no meandering in the final rounds like Beterbiev; if Saad was down, he'd be throwing leather like hand grenades.

 

I'm glad this was mentioned. Beterbiev isn't some Qawi or anything like that. He's more of a well schooled physical force than an offensive dynamo imo.

Sure that might sound like a slight difference or just semantics, but I feel as though when Beterbievs strategy isn't working, he'd just try and throw more rather than using feints or level changes or variation in his footwork to open a guy up.

 

I'll tell you why it's worth a discussion .... Saad had a longer reach by almost 4" , better stamina than the 40 year old Beterbiev and was a harder hitter ... I personally feel while Beterbiev is a very strong guy and a hard hitter his power has become overrated while Saad was a legit monster puncher at 175 ... the prime title winning Saad absolutely has a real shot over 15 rounds against the extremely talented but average hitting Bivol who's never fought the pace for 15 rounds ...

 

If it’s 15 rounds, I go with Matthew by way of knockout.

 

Saad should wear Bivol out here before the championship rounds and throw his best bombs when the championship rounds showed, that's his best chance.

 

I'd take Saad over 15, 12 would be tougher.