‘I want to do much better’: Beterbiev promises a powerful strategy in Bivol 2

Artur Beterbiev says his rematch with Dmitri Bivol in Riyadh on February 22 will be different. Undisputed light heavyweight champion Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) is expected to put Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) under constant pressure and force him to fight or run.

In the last half of the fighting on October 12, Bivol suffered heavy casualties from Beterbiev’s constant shots. Although Bivol had gloves to block the punches, the hard shots from Beterbiev traveled through his gloves and into his face, causing damage. Blocking doesn’t work when someone punches like Beterbiev.

There is no greater respect.

Beterbiev now realizes that he fought the wrong way last time. In the first five rounds, he showed Bivol a lot of respect by attacking him relentlessly. Arthur deviated from his usual fighting style, allowing Bivol to win uncontested rounds that he would not have won had he been pressed the whole time.

“The opponent is the same, but it’s a new fight, and I have to prepare differently. You want to do everything differently,” Arthur Beterbiev told George Groves Boxing Club. YouTube channelHe is discussing his February 22nd rematch with Dimitri Bivol.

“With my team, we will learn more with some details that I cannot tell you. “I did enough to win, but I want to do better,” Beterbiev said of his first fight against Bivol on Oct. 12. “I don’t know. We’ll see, but I’m focused,” Arthur said of the rematch.

“No, I don’t care about that,” Beterbiev said when asked if he was worried about not losing the fight against Bivol.

Consta🥶 @Abeterbiev #BetterbievBivol2 | #Riyadh season | Feb 22, live on DAZN | @turki_alalshik pic.twitter.com/ezvdJhax8O

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) January 16, 2025

The judges gave the victory to Beterbiev in a 12-round majority decision in their fight last October 12 in Riyadh. Many of Bivol’s fans and promoter Eddie Hearn were bitter.

They felt his first half boxing was good enough to win, but after five rounds he gave up fighting and ran like a dog. It’s amazing how fans base their opinions on what they see in the first few rounds and then close their minds to what happens in the second half of the fight. It is human nature.

Lazy people make snap judgments and then close their minds. Bivol lost the fight in the second half because he couldn’t stand up and fight. The fear got to him and he bought the ability to fight with Beterbiev.