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Dmitry Bivol has revealed what Turki Al-Sheikh said to him about a rematch with Artur Beterbiev, after Saturday’s controversial title fight.
Bivol lost a majority decision to Beterbiev in Saudi Arabia, dropping the WBA light-heavyweight belt to the unified champion and suffering a first professional loss. The scorecards read 114-114, 115-113, 116-112 in favour of the unbeaten Beterbiev, with the latter scorecard proving particularly controversial.
There was no rematch clause for the fight, but it is expected that the boxers could clash again in early 2025 – especially after Saudi adviser Al-Sheikh expressed support for Bivol.
“He told me, ‘In my opinion you won, and I want to make a rematch for you,’” Bivol told Fight Hub TV on Monday (14 October). “Now it depends on Beterbiev.
“I don’t know what they have [planned]. I don’t have feelings like I’m confident or not [that the rematch will happen]. I’m just... If it will be a rematch, I’ll be glad; if it’s not, what can I do? Just move forward.
“I don’t have time to regret something or this and that. I have time only to take a decision for the future. I need to rest a little bit, I need to have some plans for if the rematch happens.
“Of course I would like the fight next, the rematch. I don’t want to do it later. If we have the chance to do it, let’s do it.”
When asked whether he was confident that he could decisively beat Beterbiev next time, Bivol joked: “I knew before how to beat him, and he knew also how to beat me! I’m sure even you know how to beat him. I think all fans in front of the TV know how to beat him and how to beat me.
“It’s the easiest part to ‘know’ but the hardest part to do it [and] to prepare yourself to do it. I haven’t thought about what I’m gonna do in a rematch, and even if I start my training camp, I will not tell you! It will be a surprise for you in the ring.”
The Saudis are planning a major boxing event in February, with a rematch between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois potentially featuring. It is possible that a rematch between Bivol, 33, and Beterbiev, 39, could also take place that night.
Dubois dropped Joshua four times en route to a TKO victory in September, retaining the IBF heavyweight belt in the process.
