By: Hans Themistode
Dmitry Bivol is well aware of the difficult battle that will stand before him.
On May 7, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Russian-born tennis player will attempt to knock top boxing star Canelo Alvarez from his tall horse, while also defending. his WBA lightweight crown. In the eyes of many people, a victory for the Mexican attack is simply a formality. With the audacious Alvarez taking every world title at 168 pounds, he rushes into the match against Bivol like a pretty big favorite.
However, the betting market’s guess will have nothing to do with how Bivol will ultimately be fair to Alvarez. After scoring wins against the likes of Joe Smith Jr and Jean Pascal, Bivol has the experience and physicality to give Alvarez all he can handle. But only because Bivol can pull victory, right? Let’s dive in and look at Bivol’s keys to the biggest win of his career.
Jab, jab and jab more
For the greatness that Canelo Alvarez has demonstrated in his career, he still has a glaring hole in his awe-inspiring defensive game… the bump. Even while rising to the top of the list almost every pound-for-pound and despite the embezzlement of several world titles in countless weight classes, fighters like Floyd Mayweather, Sergey Kovalev, Gennadiy Golovkin, and nearly Most recently – Caleb Plant, helped Alvarez fit through and consistently.
Luckily for Bivol, he has one of the best in the business. Before going into the pocket of his attack tricks, Bivol uses his stab to soften his opponent. Alvarez, known for his willingness to move forward, is often on high alert as he stalks his enemies. For every step Alvarez takes, Bivol should put his spear in his man’s face. Alvarez’s slide and counter-attack is well documented but a well-timed dash can disrupt his defensive tempo.
Be a greater man
Although Alvarez had outdone many high-level fighters, by the end, he appeared nervous as he ended his night of competition before the final bell rang. With injury-time wins in four of his last five appearances, including a match against Sergey Kovalev, another world-renowned tennis player at 175 pounds.
Regardless of the fierce knockdown power Alvarez displayed, Bivol had to remember one thing, he was the greater one. Fitness has not always been an important part of the Russian star’s career. Instead, he often chooses to stay outside and beat his opponents. While effective in most cases, Bivol cannot simply sit back on his laurels and allow Alvarez to control the real estate of the ring. Move forward, physically pushing Alvarez back and reminding him that he is, in fact, a bigger and stronger boxer.
Lower right arm
In the early stages of Bivol’s career, he was seen as a harmful knockout artist. While he made six straight wins from 2014 to 2016, Bivol has been forced to enlist the help of three judges who have watched the ring in his past six games.
Maybe so, Bivol is a prolific puncher. According to former two-time super-middleweight champion David Benavidez, Bivol is possibly the most damaging right-hand man he has ever absorbed in a bout. The Russian-born player should let go of his right hand whenever possible and prevent Alvarez from rushing forward. If Bivol connects early and often, and Benavidez’s words are proven true, a more cautious Alvarez could change the entire complexity of their showdown.
