Dmitry Bivol Reflects on Victory Over Canelo Alvarez and Rematch Negotiations

Dmitry Bivol, the WBA light heavyweight titlist, has taken a moment to reflect on both his triumph over Canelo Alvarez and the subsequent negotiations for a potential rematch.

Bivol: I beat him once. I'm good.

Despite initial talks about a rematch, negotiations between the two fighters failed to materialize, leading both parties to move on from the idea after a year of intermittent discussions. Bivol, a career-long 175-pounder, insisted that a potential rematch should take place at 168 pounds, Alvarez's natural weight class and the division where he held the undisputed champion title.

Alvarez, boasting a professional record of 60-2-2 with 39 knockouts, initially favored a rematch at 175 pounds, similar to the terms of their first encounter. However, he eventually decided against facing Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs), citing Bivol's alleged tough stance in negotiations.

In response to Alvarez's remarks, Bivol clarified,

"How can I make negotiations difficult? We didn't even discuss it, to be honest. Nothing. He had his dates already, and then I saw in the news that the problem was me. It was funny. I beat him once. I'm good."

While Bivol expressed his willingness to drop to 168 pounds only for championship fights, he stressed his current focus on becoming the undisputed champion in the light heavyweight division, stating,

"I'm not a big light heavyweight fighter. I can make 168, but only for belts. Canelo has the belts, and that is why I wanted to fight him. But now we have other plans, and we will follow our plans, and then we will see. Maybe in the future."

After facing Bivol, Alvarez achieved victories against notable opponents at 168 pounds, including Gennadiy Golovkin, John Ryder, and Jermell Charlo. Bivol believes his dominant performance against Alvarez, where he landed 152 punches to Alvarez's 84 across 12 rounds, influenced Alvarez's decision to reconsider competing at 175 pounds.

"I think at one moment he felt that he should respect this weight class. He respects, I think," commented Bivol on Alvarez's position.

With both fighters pursuing their respective paths in the boxing world, the potential for a rematch between Dmitry Bivol and Canelo Alvarez remains uncertain, with Bivol focusing on his goal of becoming the undisputed champion in the light heavyweight division