Dmitry Bivol’s preference is to remain at light heavyweight.
A title unification fight against Artur Beterbiev very much interests the unbeaten Bivol, who owns the WBA 175-pound championship. Bivol obviously would move down to the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds for a lucrative shot at Canelo Alvarez as well.
But that isn’t the only super middleweight match that could entice Bivol to drop down seven pounds. Bivol (17-0, 11 KOs) also would make that move for a shot at WBA super middleweight champ Callum Smith (27-0, 19 KOs).
Bivol discussed his possible future fights with Chris Lloyd for the most recent episode of “The Lockdown Tapes,” Matchroom Boxing’s podcast.
“I think it could be a great fight for Britain fans and for Russian fans,” Bivol said of facing England’s Smith. “For boxing, it’s a good fight because he’s a champion at 168 pounds, and I am the champion at 175. I would like to fight against the best fighters in the world, and he’s now one of these guys who’s the best.”
The 29-year-old Bivol would prefer it if the 6-feet-3 Smith moved up to light heavyweight to fight him, yet he is completely comfortable dropping down a division to make it happen.
“[It’s] better at 175 because this is my weight,” Bivol said. “But I can move to 168. It’s not a problem for me, I think, because my last fight on the [weigh-in] day, I had breakfast before I weighed in. And I don’t feel thirsty on this day. I think I have a reserve to make [168 pounds].”
Bivol beat Smith in an amateur match in 2012.
“It was in Hungary,” Bivol said. “To be honest, I don’t remember this fight at all because when we fight each other, for me it was just a guy from Great Britain, just a tall guy who has good skills. But I have to beat him. Only like that, my memories.”
Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) would be Bivol’s first choice if he were to move down to super middleweight. He realizes, of course, that virtually every champion from middleweight to light heavyweight wants a shot at the Mexican icon.
“Of course, many people wanna fight Canelo,” Bivol said, “because many people see that he is just a man, just a boxer. Yeah, of course he is a good boxer. But you can earn money with him, you can make a good name for you if you [beat] him. It’s a good opportunity to show your boxing skills to the whole world, because he has the biggest fan base.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
