WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol 20-0 (11) has made it clear that his primary target is WBC, WBO and IBF counterpart Artur Beterbiev 18-0 (18) if he gets past Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez 44-0 (30) in Abu Dhabi on November 5.
The 31-year-old Russian is coming off a surprise victory over undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 57-2-2 (39) on points in Las Vegas back in May.
Bivol remains open to a rematch with Alvarez, who he defeated by scores of 115-113 across the board.
“To be honest, I want to fight for the other belts. But if [Canelo] wants to fight against me again then we can negotiate about it and if everything is okay for me for next fight, why not?” said Bivol.
“But I am focused on Ramirez now. It is a really good opponent for me and I have to beat him to create plans after the fight.”
Bivol’s manager Vadim Kornilov said his boxer is not obliged to offer Alvarez a rematch, even though the 32-year-old Mexican superstar has made it clear that he wants to avenge his loss after he locks horns with old foe Gennadiy Golovkin 42-1-1 (37) for the third time on September 17.
That could leave the door open for Bivol to face Beterbiev and, if victorious, would make the Bivol-Alvarez rematch all the more enticing.
“We are not really trapped into the rematch clause anymore, this is the fight now [against Ramirez] and the rematch will be negotiated, both guys went and took out a fight. Then we have to work together and figure out the next fight,” Kornilov said.
Bivol expects Beterbiev – a natural 175-pounder – to be a tougher opponent than Alvarez.
“It will be difficult but not much more. Just different type of difficult,” he said. “The fight against Canelo was difficult because no one believed in me except my team. Beterbiev is not as popular as Canelo so maybe that will be easier. But about boxing skills, about sizes, I think it will be more difficult.”
Another boxer angling for a shot at Beterbiev is David ‘El Bandera Roja’ Benavidez 26-0 (23). The 25-year-old undefeated contender believe the 37-year-old Russian is the man to beat at light heavyweight.
“He’s a tough fighter, he’s the top dog,” Benavidez said. “Just the way he took Joe Smith apart was amazing.”
Benavidez is currently campaigning at super middleweight, but he could see himself facing off with Beterbiev in the future.
“I think I would have to get a couple of fights before I get a fight with him,” Benavidez said. “I don’t want to go up and you know, just take a title shot. I gotta go up the ranks. I respect boxing, I respect the ranking systems. It would be a great fight and I think we’ll get there.”
