Given how much stronger and harder hitting CBS is, why did he struggle so much vs Zurdo compared to the relatively light hitting Bivol?
The competition level at 175 is much higher. Zurdo isn’t championship material at 175, but he’s used to fighting higher caliber fighters at the lower weight, so when he moved up to cruiser Billam-Smith was actually a big step down as an opponent.
Bivol is much more skilled, a much better boxer, and faster than CBS CBS is obviously bigger, stronger and more powerful than Bivol and he has an excellent chin and huge heart but he's pretty crude and not the most skilful Zurdo is faster, more skilled and a better boxer than CBS with more tricks up his sleeve and just a bad style matchup for him
Not disrespect intended to the OP but what's the point of this thread? "Why did this really good smaller fighter beat someone that an average big fighter couldn't?"
Styles really do make fights, these things can happen. There was a pretty good light heavyweight Chad Dawson who once dominated Tomas Adamek at lhw, this didn't however mean that Chad was the next RJjr and it didn't either mean that Tomas was trash, it's just that on that night that's the result that their styles produced.
I like CBS as he is from the same town as I am and would be nice to possibly have a HW fighter be a player in the HW division that is from Bournemouth. But, all the replies above says it all - CBS is a good fighter that beat some decent fighters and had a nice title reign but Bivol is levels above CBS and would mesmerise CBS's eyes off to a very wide decision win. Zurdo is genuinely a decent fighter too who beat CBS clearly and Bivol dominated Zurdo. Opetaia V Bivol would be the fight to make IMO if Opetaia beats Zurdo.