Both fighters, world champions each, want the fight, the return fight, yet there is a difference of opinion as far as at what weight the fight should be fought at. We’re talking Dmitry Bivol- Canelo Alvarez II. Bivol as we know, decisioned Canelo last May, the Russian retaining his WBA light heavyweight title with the big win. Now, Canelo wants revenge, the return fight to also take place at 175 pounds.
Canelo called out Bivol after his 12 round decision win over a tough and durable John Ryder: “I want the same terms, the same everything as the last fight,” Canelo said. “The goal is to have the rematch with Bivol in the same terms.”
This is seen by all fans as an honourable move by Canelo. There was talk of Canelo “demanding” the rematch be at 168, this in an effort at “draining” Bivol. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. It is Bivol who wants the rematch to be down at 168 pounds: “We fought at 175 and I beat him,” Bivol said on social media. “So now I’m willing to take a risk and go to 168 because it’s a motivation for me to try to fight for all the titles at 168….Why should I even do the rematch at 175? What is the challenge or what is the motivation for me if I’ve already beaten him at that weight class?”
Nobody really saw this coming, did they? Could it be that the argument over which weight the rematch is fought at proves so troublesome that there is no rematch? Let’s hope not. But Bivol has made his position clear, as has Canelo. Which reigning world champion will budge, if either?
Bivol wants more belts, and Canelo holds the lot at 168, and this is clearly something that motivates Bivol. Yet Canelo, to his credit, wants no excuses in the rematch, with him wanting to get redemption by beating Bivol at his natural weight. So what gives? Who gives?
At what weight do YOU think Bivol-Canelo II should be fought at?
If the rematch does happen this year, it’s likely it will go down in Las Vegas in September. Will it be repeat or revenge?
