By Norm Frauenheim
Rematches, like sequels, often disappoint just about everybody other than the opposite corners that get a second trip to the pay window. From Sugar Ray Leonard-versus-Thomas Hearns to Bernard Hopkins-versus-Roy Jones Jr., they just happen too late. They reach their past-due date. We waited — and waited — for a second Canelo-Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch and then wondered why. It was a dud, altogether forgettable.
But then, there’s the exception, which in the here-and-now means Artur Beterbiev-Dmitrii Bivol 2 Saturday. Let’s just start with the timing. It’s serves as a lesson. To wit: Immediate and rematch should be inseparable. Remove the immediacy and the sequel goes stale.
Beterbiev and Bivol last fought in October, a light-heavyweight bout won by the narrowest of margins by Beterbiev on scorecards that sparked a debate that over the last four months has sustained interest in Saturday’s sequel (DAZN, pay-per-view) in Saudi Arabia like no advertising campaign ever could.
The absence of a definitive conclusion on Oct. 12 screamed out for a second opening bell as soon as possible. Beterbiev’s birth certificate suggests that even he isn’t immune from time’s inevitable toll. He’s 40. On any clock, there aren’t many rematches — if any — left in his 21-fight career.
In the sequel, maybe Bivol can rewrite the script, reversing inconclusive cards that had him trailing on two — 115-113 and 116-112 — and in a draw on the third, 115-115. After all, he’s the younger man, six years younger, in fact. But narrow odds late this week suggest the sequel will be as close as the original. Beterbiev is a narrow favorite. It’s somewhat intriguing that Bivol was a narrow favorite in October. Best bet, perhaps, is the 34-year Bivol, who might force a trilogy — a third fight — if he wins and if the middle-aged Beterbiev decides to fight on, or at least fight once more.
Saudi promoter, Prince Turki Alalshikh, has said he’ll try to put together a third fight if there’s a Bivol victory, forcing David Benavidez to wait on his bid for the 175-pound title. After his solid decision over David Morrell three weeks ago, Benavidez is the so-called mandatory challenger, which in acronym speak could mean just about anything. In a promising sign, Benavidez and father/trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr, will be there, at ringside in Riyadh. The Phoenix-born Benavidez and his dad boarded a flight to Saudi Thursday. Saudi money is the only factor that could turn mandatory into reality.
Beterbiev was quoted this week as saying he’d be interested in fighting Benavidez instead of Canelo, the super-middleweight champ is pointing toward a September date against former welterweight great Terence Crawford after a perceived tune up against William Scull during the first weekend in May in Riyadh in May. But whatever Beterbiev said about plans beyond Saturday is irrelevant. Neither Beterbiev nor Bivol is thinking about anything beyond Saturday, the biggest date for both.
“I was happy with the first fight because I won,’’ Beterbiev, a taciturn Russian living in Canada, said Thursday at the final news conference in Saudi Arabia “There are many things {I learned}. It’s too long to tell you. Let’s talk after the fight.”
Beterbiev’s feared skillset includes everything but a few good quotes, of course. Then again, Bivol, also Russian, won’t ever have his own talk show, either.
“I didn’t win last time,’’ Bivol said Thursday. “And I really want to win. It’s burning inside of me. I want to change something because I can see where I was wrong at some points. And I want to change it.’’
What Bivol wants, presumably, is more energy over the final three rounds. He was leading on the cards through the first nine. Seemingly, suddenly, his punching power lost some of the edge that kept Beterbiev off him until the tenth. That’s when Beterbiev, the older man, found enough energy to apply just enough pressure to win a majority decision. Still, Bivol goes into the rematch with some momentum. Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) went into the first fight with a perfect record — 20 victories all by stoppage. Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) is the first opponent he’s not stopped.
Safe to say, Beterbiev will want to prove Bivol is somebody he can stop. The rematch offers him that opportunity.
“For me, for nine rounds, Dmitrii Bivol completely dominated,’’ Bivol promoter Eddie Hearn said Thursday of the first fight. “And yes, Beterbiev did come on strong and win rounds 10, 11, 12. I stand by that Dmitrii Bivol won the fight, but it was a fantastic fight between two great fighters. But it’s done now, it’s over.
“The great thing for fans and the fighters is we get to run it back. I want to echo what (Bivol manager) Vadim Kornilov said and thank Artur Beterbiev because he is now the champion, he is the hunted and he’s been the hunter for a long time. I just see the look in this man’s (Bivol) eye this week, I see something different. I couldn’t believe how well Bivol took the defeat. No sulking, no moaning, unbelievable mindset from this man.
“I just truly believe you’re going to see one of the great performances from this man, Dmitrii Bivoll this weekend. I’m very confident that he becomes the undisputed champion. I believe he should have been last time, but now that’s done, that’s over. I expect another fight for the ages between two great champions but for me, I truly believe Dmitrii Bivol will be the undisputed champion this weekend.’’
Which could mean an immediate trilogy.
