WBA Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol is analyzing the option of going down to 168 pounds to challenge Canelo Álvarez to a rematch if the 205-pound unification fight against Artur Beterbiev does not come soon.
Last Saturday night, Bivol marked his ninth successful title defense against Zurdo Ramírez in Abu Dhabi, and after the win via unanimous decision, said that his dream lies in Beterbiev’s WBC, WBO and IBF belts. Despite this, the Russian understands that differences in promoters and other circumstances could prevent him from getting the unification fight anytime soon.
Dmitry Bivol inclined to fight Canelo at 168
All that being said, an alternate option for Bivol lies at super-middleweight, a rematch with Canelo, who is undisputed in the division. And with Beterbiev having a clash against Anthony Yarde pending for next year, so Bivol could be inclined to lock horns against Canelo for the second time.
“We can talk about 168 and I’m open to the option, as long as that fight I want can’t be made,” Bivol said in an interview with Behind The Gloves, “I’m at 175, but going down is an option we can talk about if I can’t go for the belt.”
“If everything depended on me, I would try to fight for another belt, but I think that’s not the case,” Bivol went on, “But I know how it all works and I’m not willing to wait for that fight. I am willing to take another to stay active.”
In May of this year, Canelo and Bivol met at 175 pounds, but the Russian dominated the fight and took the fight by triple unanimous decision 115-113 on the cards. In the end, it seemed that the immediate rematch would take place, but Canelo decided to go down to 168 again and defended his undisputed belts in the trilogy against Gennady Golovkin in September.
Although it is not yet known if Bivol will decide to stay at light heavyweight, after his win against Ramírez, he does not look badly on going down and fighting for the undisputed super middleweight crown.
“The truth is that I want to fight for another belt at 175, this is my division,” Bivol concluded, “Although fighting for four belts could be interesting.”
