WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol (15-0, 11 KOs) says he won’t let Joe Smith Jr. (24-2, 20 KOs) rip his title away from him on Saturday at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, NY live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
“He’s a strong guy,” said Bivol. “I saw his fight against Bernard Hopkins, and he’s really strong. He’s the same age as me, he’s young. But he has some minus points like many fighters that I will use to my advantage for my win. He moves forward a lot. This is a good challenge for me, to stop him.”
“I saw in his eyes when I met him, he wanted my belt. And I’m glad because only that way it can make a good fight.”
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“Winning a world title would mean everything to me,” said Smith Jr. “It’s everything I have worked towards my whole life. I cannot even express how I will feel when I win this title…the fans are in for a great show on Saturday. They will see a new and improved Joe Smith Jr., the new light heavyweight champion of the world.