Dmitry Bivol is the pound for pound 7th best boxer, as per Ring Magazine! But the question is, how did the Russian light heavyweight make it there? Is it his skills, boxing style or ring IQ? Olympic Bronze medalist and former professional boxer Tony Jeffries thinks it’s a combination of all of those things, which makes the 33-year-old a force to be reckoned with.

So, like, Bivol is totally gearing up for this huge showdown against  Artur Beterbiev  on October 12th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was supposed to fight Beterbiev on June 1st, but Beterbiev got injured, so they had to push it back. But now, Jeffries is hyping it up big time, breaking down Bivol’s boxing style and highlighting how awesome he is before this epic match.

Dmitry Bivol: A perfect specimen

Earlier today, the Olympic Bronze medalist hit up Twitter, sharing an old training clip of Bivol throwing down some serious pad work with his trainer in the gym. Analyzing Bivol’s boxing style, Jeffries said, “Look at how long his arms are. And he is turning this hook over with his palm down”. Impressed by how Bivol utilizes his long reach to his advantage, the Englishman highlighted Bivol’s Eastern-European boxing style, and added, “I am loving how he is putting those punches together”.

It’s worth mentioning that Bivol solved the puzzle named Canelo Alvarez a couple of years ago, handing the Mexican boxing legend his second ever loss. Thich can be credited to his long reach and bigger frame, alongside his ability to create pressure. Nevertheless, Jeffries suggested Bivol’s style isn’t flashy, and everything he throws carries intentions of destruction. 

What caught Jerries’ attention the most was the fact that Bivol was throwing his lead hook with his arm facing down. There’s been a long drawn debate in the community about which direction the thumb should be facing while throwing a punch. So, seeing Bivol pointing his thumb down, Jeffries said, “You think well, this is the way to do it. But throwing a hook like that, close up, short range is pretty hard”.

Something else that managed to impress the Olympic bronze medalist was Bivol’s footwork. Jeffries said, “Look, how he is keeping his feet apart. All the time he is moving. This means he is always in the position to throw them punches”. With that said, fans are eagerly awaiting Bivol vs. Beterbiev, but some are also talking about a rematch against Canelo. But does Bivol even dig that?

Bivol clarifies his stance on Canelo Alvarez rematch? 

When they threw down in 2022 in Las Vegas, Bivol’s win was a major shocker, and he instantly blew up after taking down the Mexican superstar. However, when asked about the possibilities of a rematch a few days ago, Bivol clearly stated, “I don’t have him in my schedule and my mind”. After all, Bivol has bigger goals in mind, aiming to become the undisputed champ at 175 pounds.

He further added, “Maybe in the future, we could see each other again. But, not in the soon future. I can’t see it”. And how Canelo Alvarez has been avoiding a fight against David Benavidez lately, a rematch against Bivol must be the last thing on his mind. Not to mention, one of them will have to either come down in weight or jump up.

Since Canelo’s attempt at doing so didn’t work out the first time, he won’t take the risk a second time. Plus, Bivol wouldn’t want to go down in weight with his fight coming up, but after winning, the right offer could change that.

With the expert analysis from Tony Jeffries, it’s pretty clear that the October showdown is going to be nothing short of legendary. But Artur Beterbiev is no newbie—with his perfect knockout ratio, Beterbiev could put an end to Bivol’s dominance in the light heavyweight division. What do you think? Is Bivol the best light heavyweight?