Always nice to see the Chechen, I mean Canadian, Colossus showered with praise, not least from such an august and eminent source as the award-winning one himself. Seriously though, ever since he retired Gvozdyk I've been of a mind not to pick against Beeterbeef unless and until he does actually get beat. As his assistant trainer John 'The Iceman' Scully put it in an interview just the other day, 12 rounds is an awfully long time in a ring with this fella. To have a chance of avoiding the same fate as 20 previous victims, Bivol will need as big a ring as possible as well as a third man in the ring in the same mould as that fastidious Italian who spoiled AJ vs Parker. Just one of the many fascinating questions heading into any fight between Bivol and Beterbiev is whether the former will be happy to allow Beterbiev to punch him on the arms and gloves the way he seemed content to invite Canelo to do at various stages in their fight. My own view is that this wouldn't end well for Bivol. Much of the lofty, and not unjustified, regard in which he is held is based on his dominant shutout of Canelo, but the latter is a natural middleweight who was arguably fighting two weight classes out of his natural comfort zone. Bivol himself could probably make 168 and still perform just as well as he has done heretofore. My sense is that Bivol doesn't have the weight of shot to deter Beterbiev and keep him off for 12 rounds. Beterbiev has the wherewithal to engineer enough situations where Bivol will be forced to exchange. In my time watching the sport, the only light-heavy whom I would pick with confidence to beat Beterbiev is Roy Jones.
Was going to say how active Inoue seems but even he only fights twice a year! #1 P4P for me.
Catterall absolutely loves an eliminator... Bizarre career for him looking at the 3 fights he had leading up to the Taylor fight > Amador, Schwarzkopf, Houya. Even after the Taylor fight he's had no momentum whatsoever, should have milked that for all its worth and demanded a rematch or got one of the other top level fighters, instead its Foley and Linares... Guess its because the top guys don't want to fight him without a belt on the line. Oh well...
Thanks for commenting, Sean. Since writing it seems they couldn't even agree a deal with Hitchins. Bizarre seeing as they are both under the same promoter! No idea what's going on with Catterall's career. Meandered along as you mentioned.
One of my favourite boxing writers is Steve. Balanced piece allowing the reader to make a judgement. Very fair to Smith and Bivol. Not over the top about Beterbiev, but very Succinct with how good he is.
Always nice to see the Chechen, I mean Canadian, Colossus showered with praise, not least from such an august and eminent source as the award-winning one himself. Seriously though, ever since he retired Gvozdyk I've been of a mind not to pick against Beeterbeef unless and until he does actually get beat. As his assistant trainer John 'The Iceman' Scully put it in an interview just the other day, 12 rounds is an awfully long time in a ring with this fella. To have a chance of avoiding the same fate as 20 previous victims, Bivol will need as big a ring as possible as well as a third man in the ring in the same mould as that fastidious Italian who spoiled AJ vs Parker. Just one of the many fascinating questions heading into any fight between Bivol and Beterbiev is whether the former will be happy to allow Beterbiev to punch him on the arms and gloves the way he seemed content to invite Canelo to do at various stages in their fight. My own view is that this wouldn't end well for Bivol. Much of the lofty, and not unjustified, regard in which he is held is based on his dominant shutout of Canelo, but the latter is a natural middleweight who was arguably fighting two weight classes out of his natural comfort zone. Bivol himself could probably make 168 and still perform just as well as he has done heretofore. My sense is that Bivol doesn't have the weight of shot to deter Beterbiev and keep him off for 12 rounds. Beterbiev has the wherewithal to engineer enough situations where Bivol will be forced to exchange. In my time watching the sport, the only light-heavy whom I would pick with confidence to beat Beterbiev is Roy Jones.
100%
Was going to say how active Inoue seems but even he only fights twice a year! #1 P4P for me.
Catterall absolutely loves an eliminator... Bizarre career for him looking at the 3 fights he had leading up to the Taylor fight > Amador, Schwarzkopf, Houya. Even after the Taylor fight he's had no momentum whatsoever, should have milked that for all its worth and demanded a rematch or got one of the other top level fighters, instead its Foley and Linares... Guess its because the top guys don't want to fight him without a belt on the line. Oh well...
Thanks for commenting, Sean. Since writing it seems they couldn't even agree a deal with Hitchins. Bizarre seeing as they are both under the same promoter! No idea what's going on with Catterall's career. Meandered along as you mentioned.
One of my favourite boxing writers is Steve. Balanced piece allowing the reader to make a judgement. Very fair to Smith and Bivol. Not over the top about Beterbiev, but very Succinct with how good he is.
Thanks for the kind words, Des!