I’ve never seen Beterbiev that tired. Yes, Bivol did a great job at moving and landing counters and made adjustments. That being said Beterbiev looked only sharp for 6 rounds.
I think he did well... yes... definitely... I'm working hard at level but he got tired... it's age that makes him slower and makes him get tired faster!
It turned out that when Bivol stood his ground, he could light Beterbiev up and get the best of many exchanges. Bivol actually began backing him up. It was shocking to see the look on Beterbiev's face as Bivol began pressing him and following him around like a shark.
I love Artur, but surely him having to put on a crazy pace early played a factor in him tiring. It was a way higher pace than the first fight, which is why he was able to win the rounds he won, but it paid price in the later rounds as we saw.
I had him losing by a round. It wasn't one sided at all. And he won the 12th going away. Old but hardly in the way.
No Beterbiev was exactly the same as in the 1st fight its just Bivol was better in the rematch and showed better energy levels in the later rounds compared to the first fight.
Bivol simply came in this time better prepared, physically and mentally. But Beterbiev is 40 years old, he clearly isn't prime, but I don't think he's any different to the fighter that won the first fight. In both fights we saw a period where he was outworked and out boxed and a period where he was on top. The difference was this time he didn't start slow and finish strong, this time he started fast and then faded late and Bivol was more willing to let his hands go and exchange when Beterbiev was fading late. Bivol simply picked his moment better, allowed Beterbiev to have his success and rode it out but when Beterbiev faded he didn't just look to steal rounds but stepped on the gas and upped his out put when Beterbiev no longer had anything in reserve to respond. I think at 40 Beterbiev doesn't have the same engine he did 5 years ago. We saw the same with a 40 year old Hopkins against Taylor, both just unable to step on the gas for more than 4-5 rounds of a fight. Fact is your V02max decreases with age so your aerobic capacity will decrease and no amount of training can prevent that, reduce it's impact yes but it's going to happen to every athlete as they age.
A little bit. He still fought well overall but him getting tired mid fight surprised me. I knew Bivol would fight the way he did and I knew Beterbiev would approach the rematch the way he did. What I didn't take into account is Beterbiev tiring mid fight. I never seen him do it so there was no reason in my mind to think it would happen. But it did and it cost him the fight. I don't think he can fight at certain pace for 12 rounds anymore. Bivol definitely didn't make it easy on him. He made it hard for Beterbiev to attack and tried to counter everything Beterbiev threw but I think a younger Beterbiev would have been able to sustain the pace he fought with earlier in the fight for 12 rounds.
the slow-mo replays of it show the real story. Bivol was blocking or dodging most of what Beterbiev was throwing, and then landing combos flush.
He wasn't that much worse than the 1st fight. Credit to Bivol for beating AB, who even at age 40 would beat every other LHW in the world. But after watching that fight last night I'm only more convinced prime AB stops Bivol. Against a prime AB who can go a hard 12 rounds? AB puts him through the wood chopper. Bivol is a very good fighter, but more Gvozdyk level than prime AB or prime Ward and Kovalev level.
He was in a very close fight with one of the top P4P fighters - the same as the first fight. I know there is tendency to knee-jerk on here, but...
The short period from the first fight didn't allow Beterbiev to get the most of his PED cycle. Because we all know Butterbiev is juiced to the gills. I was surprised he didn't enter a state of roid rage when he didn't get the verdict.
A little .. the margins narrow as you step up, you don't look as dominant and Bivol is elite also... so that is a major factor.. but obviously when you are 40 it's going to matter.. it has been another great rivalry and it's been a privilege to see it and respect to both of them.
Bivol is that good and fought at a good pace. Mixed up well and fought a very good fight. Put some more meat on his punches at times to stun Beterbiev.