Bivol On the Light Heavyweight Division: I want to fight with the best fighters

Photo Courtesy of World of Boxing

Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo: WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (11-0, 9 KOs) is slated to defend his title against Trent Broadhurst (20-1, 12 KOs) on Saturday in Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo and live on HBO Boxing After Dark® at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds and will be Bivol’s first title defense as WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion.

With an 81% knockout-to-win ratio (9 KOs in 11 wins) and newly crowned the WBA’s light heavyweight world champion, the 26-year-old Bivol rocketed to the top of the light heavyweight division in 2017. However, as Bivol explains, he did not go in looking for the knockout, “I never think about the knockout before the fight. I don’t think, ‘Oh I have to go knock this guy out.’ But when I get in the ring, of course, I want to do my best and I want to make my fans happy with a good fight. First, I think about how can I give him more punches and then I think about how I can avoid more punches.”

The winner of this championship bout will have a mandatory defense due next. The top-ranked contender is Sullivan Barrera, who is scheduled to fight Felix Valera on Saturday, November 25 as the co-feature on the Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy World Championship Boxing telecast.

Bivol believes Barrera will win and the two will meet up in early 2018. He is eager to face Barrera and has watched his career closely: “I must do mandatory defense for WBA for next fight,” said Bivol. “Barrera is ranked second and I want the fight with the best guys in the WBA rankings, so I want to fight him next. I watched Barrera’s fights with Shabranskyy, Andre Ward and Joe Smith Jr. He is good boxer. He has good speed. Good Skills. Good moves. I want to fight with the best fighters.”

With all of this action in his division, the young champion sees light heavyweight as the division to watch. Bivol explained, “Pay attention to my division because now I think a lot of young stars are coming up. Watch the boxing in light heavyweight division and, of course, watch my fight.”

According to Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, “We are glad that Dmitry’s first defense of his world title will happen in Monaco and we are looking forward to a great event. We appreciate HBO giving us the opportunity to air this fight in the United States.”
Bivol vs. Broadhurst is a 12-round bout for the WBO Light Heavyweight Title at Casino de Monte Carlo in Salle Medecin, Monte Carlo and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 5:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT), coupled with a primetime evening replay at 9:45 p.m. (ET/PT).