That sucks but it's the downside with Turki. He paid to make both fights, if he wants a trilogy you give him one...
Bivol officially ducks Benavidez. Thats two undisputed champions in a row that ducked him. Let that sink in. Don't bother telling me he chose to fight the tougher fight, because the question should be, tougher in who's mind, yours or Bivols? He chose to fight a 40 year old he just defeated, and basically solved after 24 rounds, vs a completely different challenge vs a prime 28 year old, and according to the WBC he was offered 8 million to fight David in Vegas ppv.
maybe. or it could go sideways vs benavidez. the guy is peaking and i dont underrate him like so many do. i think they both have the ability to beat the other. it will come down to the general who executes, or forces, his game plan on the other.
fair? since when does anyone care about fairness in boxing? Bivol waited 8 years to unify with Beterbiev and now suddenly he's desperate for 3 in a row?
Beterbiev wants it, Turki also supports a trilogy which is why he pulled out of purse bids for Benavidez Bivol, it's money and Beterbiev getting a shot at undisputed again. I'd rather see Bivol Benavidez but I don't agree with the notion anyone's avoiding Benavidez, especially when Beterbiev probably stops him in 10
The WBC has been screwing over Russian fighters for years. They were the ****ers who prevented the unification in 2022 and now they're stripping Bivol when Benevidez made it clear he wanted the fight in the US or have Bivol stripped. I guess PBC and Benevidez got their wish. I'm disappointed in Benevidez for this political nonsense. If he wanted the title, he could have fought for it. Meanwhile the WBC let PBC fighters sit on their title for years without doing anything. Haymon's got a deal going on with the We Be Crooks organization. Let's not forget Canelo get to fight nobodies and the WBC is perfectly fine with it.
He barely got out of the 12th and only won the fight by literally one point. You call that solved? Also Benavidez loses to either. Bivol beats him wide on points and Beterbiev stops him.
Beterbiev is 40 y/o, he's 1-1 vs Bivol, both fights were highly competitive and close in most people's eyes, and it's #1 vs #2, two lions, the King and the former King fighting for supremacy and their place on the throne, and Beterbiev is already at war with Father Time so there's no point leaving it until Beterbiev is 41 and even older and more declined. There zero chance of Benavidez getting old overnight at 28. Beterbiev is old and he's at the age where he could fall right off the mountain, let alone slide further down it. Even if the winner were to fight Benavidez next year he would still be smack bang in the midst of his prime and Bivol will turn 35 at the same time he turns 29 because his birthday is a day after Benvidez's Should Bivol run from the rubber match for four years like Ginger did to GGG? Why is that fat toad Mauricio so keen on forcing the champ to defend against mandatory challenger Benavidez all of a sudden when he acted as Clenelo's personal bodyguard for so long to protect him from Benavidez? And are we forgetting the grade A female dog move Team Benavidez pulled the other week where they refused to fight Bivol in Saudi which despite Bivol's mixed ancestry and connection to numerous different countries is not one of said countries he has any connection to other having fought over there a bunch of times? Who the hell do they think they are trying to dictate terms to the then undisputed and now three belt (four including The Ring belt) champ and King? He calls the shots not them and there's no goddamn way in hell he should ever fight Benavidez in the US.
Why on earth would you be disappointed in Benevidez? He's literally been frozen out of two divisions, he shouldn't postpone his career just because Bivol wants to make a trilogy happen. Hopefully Benevidez gets a big fight soon he certainly deserves it.
Pretty bummed out that Bivol is choosing to vacate and taking an immediate rubber match with Beterbiev rather than defending his belts. A Benavidez fight would have been nice but I guess Bivol is trying to be fair to Beterbiev by fighting him again right away. Benavidez will just have to wait on the sideline again. Perhaps a fight with Callum Smith might be a good option for him in the meantime.
He's Interim champion and rather than for Bivol to face him he's chosen to vacate, you can call it whatever you want but what Bivol did is far worse than the shameless ducking that Canelo did.