Dmitri Bivol has given some insight into his plans for 2023, and insists his year will not solely resolve around a potential rematch with Canelo Álvarez.
Bivol has revealed his main goal is to add more titles to his WBA light heavyweight world championship, and he is not concerned about fighting particular names.
In an interview with IFL TV, Bivol said:
“I just want to fight for belts – whoever has the belts, I want to fight him.”
“I don’t care about Canelo, to be honest. I don’t want to depend on his decisions on who he wants to fight. I just want to fight, I want to fight for belts.”
“If I can’t fight for belts, just give me another fight and I will be patient. One day I’ll get to fight for the belts.”
Bivol overturned the bookmakers’ odds in May of last year when he outpointed Canelo at the T-Mobile Arena, inflicting the first defeat of the Mexican’s career in almost a decade.
A rematch has been heavily touted for 2023, and promoter Eddie Hearn stated in a recent interview that a second fight could take place at super middleweight, where Canelo holds all four major belts.
This prospect would surely appeal to the legacy chasing Russian, with the opportunity to become undisputed at light heavy not likely to present itself in the near future.
Artur Beterbiev, who holds the other three belts at 175lbs, defends his titles against Anthony Yarde in London later this month but is expected to have other mandatory commitments in 2023, namely against Callum Smith.
Canelo is expected to have a fight in the interim before rematching Bivol – potentially against newly crowned WBO interim champion John Ryder.