Weird thought. Usyk vs Bivol, no weight class, each man as they currently are (so an absolute prime Bivol vs an aging Usyk), free to show up at whatever weight they’d like. I have this weird thought that Bivol gives Usyk a run for his money. I doubt that Usyk hits any harder than Beterbiev, and against Bivol all of Usyk’s usual advantages in terms of speed and stamina aren’t there. All he really has are a few inches in height and a big reach advantage. Would be really awkward for him being the slow lumbering guy in a fight. this hypothetical mainly works in my head due to Usyk’s relative lack of power (he seems just average for a HW) and Bivol’s proven durability and recovery. It obviously doesn’t work against a big hitter who at some point would just take Bivol’s head clean off.
I'd have to disagree, Usyk hits harder than Beterbiev and Bivol would certainly be a walk in the park after facing the likes of Joshua and Fury. Usyk would absolutely destroy Bivol.
Bivol is hitting the ring around 190. He’s 6ft tall with a 72in reach. He’s basically the size of an average HW from Louis’s era. Whatever he was when young, he’s not even close to a super middle anymore, and he’s right in his prime.
Evidence seems to show that Beterbiev hits exceptionally hard for a LHW (meaning I think that if he couldn’t stop Bivol, Usyk can’t). Evidence seems to show that Usyk’s power didn’t carry up to HW, and that stoppages he’s had are off volume. it’s not crazy to think that Beterbiev can crack like an average heavyweight. Especially considering that he’s stepping into the ring in the mid 190s. Throw a bit of extra chicken and rice on his plate, don’t dehydrate, and he could make 200 in fighting shape. I dunno. Just my weird thought experiment.
Back in ye olde days, fighters going against bigger men would usually stay around their peak weight instead of overly bulking up. It gives a massive speed advantage which would be very awkward for the bigger man to deal with, alongside the fact that the smaller man is nearly always the better boxer, especially against heavyweights. Usually though, the bigger man eventually comes on and stops the smaller fighter, but there are enough examples in history of a smaller technician doing very well or even winning. I definitely wouldn't pick Bivol to win but I absolutely see what OP means.
It sounds crazy yeah, but when has Usyk fought a smaller mover ? Not entirely sure how Usyk would interact with Bivol compared to the SHWs and cruiserweights. I wouldn't be suprised at all if it were competitive, jumps like that have been made before. Spinks vs Holmes. Usyk would be an obvious favorite tho, Bivol never looked good against rangy boxers I agree with you, it's an interesting fight. I'm not sold on weight classifications being hard walls like everyone else. Reality is a spectrum, and the reality is we've seen these kinds of weight discrepancies end up being good fights
this was kind of my point. Every advantage that Usyk is used to having is out the window against Bivol. Foot speed? Nope. Hand speed? Nope. Stamina? Nope. What Usyk has is size, reach, and strength, yet I don’t think he hits hard enough to stop Bivol. Sort of seems like a perfect storm for an interesting fight. check them out side by side on an eye test. Bivol is lightning quick in comparison, his gas tank is incredible, and a really hard hitting LHW (who also is lightning quick compared to Usyk) couldn’t stop him or even knock him down.
I still think Usyk will find his mark with the left hand. Bivol shut down Zurdo's left hand with ease but Usyk's left is a lot harder to defend against. He is also 2-3 inches taller than Beterbiev and would likely find his mark with his left the way that Beterbiev was unable to with his right. I am taking Usyk by late stoppage or decision but i do agree that Bivol could win some rounds and frustrate Usyk with his speed and skill.
