Teddy Atlas Believes That Dmitry Bivol Will Defeat Artur Beterbiev In Their Rematch In 2025

Atlas Thinks Bivol Will Benefit More from Their First Battle and Have the Advantage in the Rematch as Beterbiev is getting close to 40 years old

Teddy Atlas predicts that Dmitry Bivol, who is scheduled to face Artur Beterbiev again in 2025, would prevail / Richard Pelham/Getty Images.

By Miriam Onyango

According to Teddy Atlas, host of the podcast, Dmitry Bivol will come out on top in their rematch in 2025 and will benefit more from his bout with Artur Beterbiev than the other way around.

Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs), according to Atlas, will have an advantage in the rematch because he demonstrated that he could defeat Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) via knockout in a close battle.

Additionally, Atlas claims that because Beterbiev turns 40 on January 21st, the punishment he received in his match against Bivol will have an impact on him in the rematch.

During the championship rounds, Bivol suffered more punishment and injuries than Beterbiev. Bivol's style of mobility throughout the entire 12 rounds, particularly in the latter part of the bout, made it far from a physical battle. Following the battle, he acknowledged that, in preparation for his April 6, 1987, match against Marvin Hagler, he had taken a cue from Sugar Ray Leonard's fighting technique. In his contentious victory, Leonard was in motion, delivering feeble shoeshine flurries and blocking hard blows from Hagler.

Running from Beterbiev's pressure, Bivol gave up the championship rounds without putting up much of a fight. Rounds nine through twelve saw the 33-year-old Bivol show no desire in competing against Beterbiev. Bivol lost the battle there.

“He [Beterbiev] becomes 40. I would say the guy that is closer to 40 would be more affected by that kind of fight in a rematch than the guy [Bivol] that is seven years younger,” said Teddy Atlas.

This conflict wasn't a war, thus what Atlas says above doesn't apply. Throughout the fight, Bivol mostly struck defensive keep-away jabs and only once, in the seventh round, did he short flurry on Beterbiev. It's interesting to note that Beterbiev's offensive in that round caused Bivol damage and turned the tide of the fight for the better part of the remaining rounds. Bivol's lone brave moment came in round seven, but it ultimately proved to be his undoing as Beterbiev injured him and he never tried to fight again.

“Bivol will be less accepted physically, whereas Beterbiev might be more impacted in a rematch. Who does it benefit more from a physical and emotional experience? I think it benefits Bivol more. Bivol will be better for that experience in the rematch,” said Atlas.