Dsalita In the upcoming light heavyweight undisputed championship fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol on October 12th in Riyadh, former world champion Roy Jones Jr. believes that Bivol is the favorite to win. Jones Jr. highlights that Beterbiev, the current IBF/WBC/WBO 175-lb champion, has been knocked down in the past, giving Bivol, the WBA champ, an edge.
Beterbiev, a two-time Olympian, has been knocked down twice in his professional career, while Bivol has never been down in his ten-year tenure. According to Jones Jr., this discrepancy makes Bivol the frontrunner in the upcoming fight.
Despite this analysis, Jones Jr. fails to address crucial factors like Beterbiev’s age, recent knee injury, and limited recovery time leading up to the bout. He questions why the fight is being rescheduled so quickly after Beterbiev’s meniscus injury, suggesting that this development significantly favors Bivol, who is promoted by Eddie Hearn.
Jones Jr. predicts the fight with a 60-40 advantage in favor of Bivol, citing Beterbiev’s previous knockdown and Bivol’s exceptional performance against Canelo Alvarez. However, he acknowledges Beterbiev’s formidable punching power and the risks involved in underestimating him.
In the end, Jones Jr. recognizes the dangerous game that Bivol must play against Beterbiev and highlights Bivol’s strategic approach to outbox his opponent. While Beterbiev’s punching power presents a potential risk, Jones Jr. maintains that Bivol holds the overall advantage in the fight.
