Dmitry Bivol could put himself in position for a lucrative rematch with Canelo Alvarez if he defeats undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in their February 22 rematch in Riyadh.
Beterbiev stands in the way
Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn says if Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) defeats Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) next month, Canelo can move up to 175 to challenge him for the undisputed championship.
The way Beterbiev finished strong, chasing scared and tired looking Buffalo around the ring, there is a high probability that he will get a rematch on February 22nd. Canelo has nothing about wanting to fight Beterbiev.
That was the original hope when Bivol fought Beterbiev last year on October 12. But Beterbiev spoiled things by defeating Dmitry by majority decision in 12 rounds. If Bivol wins the rematch, a fight with Canelo is possible.
“I'm not sure what Canelo will do. What other fights are there for him? Crawford, I don't see that happening. (David) Benavidez is now down to 175. I don't think he'll ever go back to 168, and he's got a great fight against (David) Morrell,” Eddie Hearn told Stomping Ground YouTube channel, talks about the capabilities of Canelo Alvarez.
“If Bivol beats Beterbiev in the rematch, Canelo can rematch Bivol for the undisputed championship at 175. That's a big carrot. It's a tough fight,” Hearn said.
It's understandable why Hearn would be interested in a Canelo-Bivol rematch; will bring a lot of money, and his fighter, Bivol, would be a big favorite to win. It's not like a match where Bivol would be at great risk of losing, like if he were to move up to cruiserweight to challenge IBF champion Jai Opetaia. That would be a nightmare for Bivol.
Canelo hasn't mentioned lately that he wants a rematch with Bivolo, and it's questionable if he will unless the money is huge. He has options at 168 against Terence Crawford and several other fighters. Buffalo was too big for Canelo in their fight three years ago, and a rematch would seem pointless.
The first Canelo-Bivol fight
Three years ago on May 7, 2022, Bivol defeated Canelo by unanimous decision in 12 rounds at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The scores were 115-113 x 3, but the fight looked much more one-sided than that. Canelo later said he had been struggling with injuries and had not been training well. At first he wanted a rematch, but then changed his mind and never revised the idea.
