WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol is more interested in facing Artur Beterbiev in a high-stakes unification than moving forward with a rematch against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Back in May, Bivol pulled off a stunner when he outboxed Canelo over twelve rounds to retain his title.
Bivol will now make a mandatory defense against undefeated challenger Gilberto Ramirez on November 5 in Abu Dhabi.
Canelo is going to defend his undisputed super middleweight crown on September 17, in a trilogy fight with Gennadiy Golovkin.
The Mexican star has vowed to beat down Golovkin and then face Bivol in May of 2023.
But Bivol would rather pursue Beterbiev, who holds the WBO, IBF, WBC titles.
"To be honest, I want to fight for the other belts. But if [Canelo] wants to fight against me again then we can negotiate about it and if everything is okay for me for next fight, why not. But I am focused on Ramirez now. It is a really good opponent for me and I have to beat him to create plans after the fight," Bivol said.
According to Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov,, his fighter is not contractually tied to a rematch clause with Canelo - because both boxers went in different directions.
Canelo did have the option of exercising an immediate rematch clause, but decided to move forward with a planned fight with Golovkin.
"We are not really trapped into the rematch clause anymore, this is the fight now [against Ramirez] and the rematch will be negotiated, both guys went and took out a fight. Then we have to work together and figure out the next fight," Kornilov said.
If the unification ever comes together, Bivol does expect Beterbiev to be a tougher fight.
"It will be difficult but not much more. Just different type of difficult,’ he said. ‘The fight against Canelo was difficult because no one believed in me except my team. Beterbiev is not as popular as Canelo so maybe that will be easier. But about boxing skills, about sizes, I think it will be more difficult," Bivol said.