It's imo the greatest fight of the last years. Beterbiev is a little bit old but a top 3 at light heavy of all time imo and bivol at least a top 10. Both unbeaten and dominant. It's just a hardcore fight fans absolute dream fight. There are a couple of possible scenarios. 1. Beterbiev breaks bivol down late, but he has to catch bivol and go through fire for that and people tend to forget that bivol is an exceptional counter puncher with sneaky power. Beterbiev not having the imo greatest chin I could see bivol knocking out beterbiev in the middle rounds by a nice counter combination. If not beterbiev will break him down late and ko bivol. Imo there won't be a decision. It's the fight for me and I am more hyped for that one than I was for fury vs usyk
What's to understand? In most observers minds, it's a 50/50 type fight. This type of stuff happens when people think fighters are evenly matched.
Nothing new needs to happen - if I watch Bivol vs Canelo, or Bivol vs Zurdo, I edge a bit to Bivol. If I then go and watch Beterbiev vs Callum Smith or Yarde, I tend back to Artur again. Not hard to fathom!
Sometimes you have a true 50/50 fight. and the contrast in styles here will be fascinating . I believe this fight is one of those where there's no wrong choice really. Now with that said I'm going with Bivol simply because I think he'll be able to stay out of a 40 year old Beterbievs way long enough to win a close UD. Confidently? Absolutely not.
Because, it's a 50/50 matchup. People are undecided because the fighters involved have many strengths and very little weaknesses. Bivol is fast and has great footwork that can keep him out of range. Beterbiev has great fundamentals and good footwork that keeps him in range. Plus he hits very hard. So, people tend to flip flop.