Bivol had a fast start but a weak finish in the first fight. While Beterbiev had a slow start but a strong finish in the first fight. Perhaps this is the key adjustment either fighter has to work on to achieve a decisive clear victory in the rematch. Who do you expect can make this adjustment?
You never know how a fighter thinks the judges are scoring the fight while he's in there. Thus he performs accordingly, subconsciously or not. In 1st fight Bivol actually came out better in the exchanges. I do believe Bivol has a higher ceiling for improvement however. He needs to time Beterbiev's L-step more, which he stopped doing after a certain point in 1st fight, perhaps due to split-second concentration lapses as fight went on. Just my quick 2 cents lest I belabour the point. Great fight and great fighters.
Yes, when the power athlete around 40 is finishing stronger than the younger endurance athlete, there's not a lot you can do about it unless Bivol wants to match Beter's PEDs. This sport is so laughable. It's like the time Miller was a 300lb endurance fighter wearing people down, then it turned out he was a chemical factory.
I feel that Bivol expended a LOT of nervous energy and movement in the first fight in the first half of the fight; it will be interesting to see how Bivol starts after having gone the whole 12 rounds - and although being passive and inactive in rounds 10&11 - he never really looked like being stopped. If Bivol is less apprehensive of Beterbievs power in this one, and reduces his lateral movement, and increases his output - especially to the body - he can have more success and have fuller gas-tank from the championship rounds, and possibly reduce Arturs gastank and output in those rounds also. The real trick for Bivol is doing that and being defensively responsible - Beterbiev WILL just keep coming at him, so he need to ensure counters are more telling in this one, and try and work the body more to at least attempt to reduce AB's output. When Dmitry was forcing Artur to reset, he was having the best of the rounds - but when he was failing to do this, Beterbiev had the upper hand in terms of perceived aggression and ring generalship. One would assume Bivol must have been working a LOT on conditioning
Today I watched Usyk vs Beterbiev London 2012 Olympics fight, and Beterbiev clearly won it but the nod was given to Usyk. So, we're talking about a man who beat Usyk twice, knocked out all of his professional opponents. And in the 1st fight he totally dominated Bivol, although some people don't want to accept this truth. Beterbiev has already gotten Bivol's number and he will win by wide unanimous decision, like 10 - 2. I'm 100% sure Bivol also knows he is going to lose tonight. I don't even think he properly trained for this fight. He will show up only to get the big paycheck. Last week I watched an interview with Bivol, he said he wants to move up to cruiserweight. He want to move up there because he is aware he will never be a champion again in light heavyweight until Beterbiev retires.
Bivol needs to actually stand his ground this time and take some risks, since he fought a very negative fight last time and shouldn’t have been surprised Beterbiev got the decision. Beterbiev even at 40 isn’t somebody that’s going to be beaten without taken the fight to him.
