Trainer Robert Garcia thought Dmitry Bivol won the fight, but says it was too close to call it a robbery.
Respected boxing trainer Robert Garcia spent some time talking to Fight Hub TV about his impressions of the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol fight. Garcia points out that he thinks Bivol’s performance in the final rounds of the fight might’ve cost him the win, but thinks things could potentially work out differently in a rematch. Check out some of what he had to say below.
Garcia on the Beterbiev vs Bivol fight
“It was a great fight. I think it was more technical than what we expected — at least what I expected. I thought it was going to be more of a war where back and forth, maybe a knockdown, maybe even a knockout, but it was a very technical fight. I thought the fight was very close.
“Me, personally, I haven’t watched this a second time but watching it I thought Bivol pulled it off but I’m not mad either, I’m not claiming robbery because the fight was so close. It could have gone either way.
“The last three rounds are probably what made the big difference, made the difference. I think the last three rounds were all Beterbiev…and Bivol focused too much on blocking and moving around. So I think those last three rounds could’ve made the difference.
“When you’re blocking, a lot of judges do judge the aggressor or the defensive fighter, the one blocking. And if the fighter blocking is effective with clean punches then some judges give it to the fighter blocking because even though they were doing damage, he was blocking a lot of them but when he landed, he landed some clean shots. I thought he’s the one that landed more clean shots, but the ones he were blocking, they were effective too…I can’t argue robbery.”
On if he think the fight plays out differently in a rematch
“Look, I think it’ll be a great fight. I think if they do have a rematch, especially in Vegas, if we see the same fight again I think this time it will go to Bivol…see the judges are also human beings. The judges are also hearing, reading everything. A lot of people thinking Bivol won, so they hear all that so in a rematch any close round might go to Bivol.”
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