Teofimo Lopez thinks Artur Beterbiev will beat Dmitry Bivol again in their upcoming rematch. The former champion shared his thoughts on the fight that's set for February 22 in Saudi Arabia.
Lopez believes the outcome will be the same as their first fight in October. In that close contest, Beterbiev won by decision after rallying in the later rounds.
"I think same outcome. Beterbiev, but, I'm rooting for Bivol, Hopefully he does better than the first time. If anything, I think Beterbiev is going to hurt Bivol this time around. But kudos to Bivol man, he boxed very well, he just didn't show enough grit in the championship rounds. It's a great fight."
Beterbiev, known for his power punching, was undefeated before facing Bivol. He's knocked out notable opponents like Callum Smith, Anthony Yarde, and Callum Johnson. Bivol, on the other hand, is more of a technician. He was also unbeaten before their first fight, with wins over Craig Richards, Lyndon Arthur, Gilberto Ramirez, and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.
Lopez praised Bivol's boxing skills but felt he lacked the necessary grit in the championship rounds. He thinks Beterbiev might hurt Bivol in the rematch.
The rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol tops a big boxing event in Saudi Arabia. The undercard features Daniel Dubois defending his IBF title against Joseph Parker.
Lopez has now given his prediction for the rematch, adding to the excitement building around this light heavyweight clash.
