Former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko says Russian world champion Dmitry Bivol should “absolutely not” be allowed to defend his WBA light heavyweight title against Canelo Alvarez on May 7 in Las Vegas. “It’s nothing against the personalities or athletes, it’s about the politics of Russia,” Klitschko told BBC 5 Live Radio. “Every Russian representative in this case needs to be sanctioned, because this way we show to Russia that the world is against his senseless war, and there is no good in this war.”
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Having Canelo knock Bivol senseless would be the best way to deliver a blow to Russia, much like Joe Louis did to Germany when he KO’d Max Schemling in one round. That being said, Bivol (like Schmeling) is an innocent athlete who happens to be Russian. He can’t help that his president is a ruthless tyrant.
Ask yourselves: why are you so upset by this Ukraine conflict when British and American arms are committing daily atrocities in Yemen right now, and our ally Israel is bombing Syria right now this evening?
Dan, you bring up some valid points.
Atrocities such as dismemberments and mutilation are committed daily in Africa. Nobody is screaming about those booty-scratchers
Exactly, thats because we (not us but the general population) is controlled by the media. Why do we choose to focus on these guys, but not those guys?? Isnt every life equally important? Dont be fooled
Or the muderous drug cartels in Mexico and South American murdering folks and leaving heads piled in the streets while half the government is on the take. We haven’t sanctioned any of those countries.
Because russia has attacked Ukraine with all its might, wants to seize and threatens the whole world. You’re probably a Russian troll
Any conflict that leads to suffering and death is terrible, but there are a number of reasons why the Russia/Ukraine conflict is getting so much attention compared to others around the world.
1. This is the first time in two decades that a powerful nation FULLY invades another sovereign nation (last was the US invasion of Iraq).
2. It is something very new. We are barely 2 weeks into the invasion. The violence in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine, Somalia, have been going on for many years and it is no longer “news”. If the violence in Ukraine went on for years and remained confined to Ukraine only, it would get less and less media attention over time.
3. Ukraine is on the EU’s doorstep, a major world power. Russia may even try to invade a European country next. The US and American economies set the tone for the global economy (as well as the Russian and Chinese economies), and a war between Russia and Europe would drag the US into the conflict, which would would have huge economic impacts around the world (even without this situation, there are already global economic impacts). A war between Somalia and Ethiopia, for example, would not have such global implications.
4. If Russia tries to invade a member of the EU, like Poland, NATO and the US would feel obligated to intervene (as stated above), which could lead to a third world war, a nuclear holocaust (Russia and the US have more nukes than any other country) and the end of the civilization. If the US were to invade Yemen, the global implications wouldn’t be nearly as dire (but it would still be shitty).
5. Sadly, there is also more concern because Ukraine is a country of white people (but 1-4 are still valid reasons as to why this war is garnering more global attention).
6. It would suck if Usyk or Loma got killed in combat. They are great for boxing and I’m a fan of both (I’m a fan of most championship boxers for that matter).
A strange truth. Russia continues to send gas to W. Europe, mostly to NATO countries, and increased supply since the invasion started. Much of it still transits Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian managers and technicians still cooperate 24 hrs. Russia is still paying transit fees.
Hey…get outta here with your solid and reasonable arguments. Intelligent opinions are not allowed here! Only straw-man arguments and gaslighting, please!
The closest Bivol has ever come to being knocked senseless was getting hit right at the bell by Joe Smith Jr, who damn near has cinderblocks for fists, and though he wobbled he still took Smith’s best shot and came back with a vengeance the next round.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bivol beats Canelo, to be honest; he has enough movement, a hell of a jab that he throws from many different angles, and he answers back with good tactical aggression everytime he gets hit.
As far as what Wladimir Klitschko says, I could not disagree more with him.
Yes, Russia is clearly the aggressor nation and needs to leave Ukraine alone, but your average everyday Russian, as long as they don’t support this garbage, doesn’t deserve to be blamed.
Sanctions are a necessary evil, but that doesn’t mean that Russians living overseas who aren’t in favor of this war deserve to suffer.
I don’t believe Bivol is even Russian. Didn’t he move there as a child? I want the fight to go ahead because it’s going to be a cracking fight.
@Jody: Yeah, but as you may recall, that was in the rematch. Schmeling kicked Joe’s ass in the first fight.
Can anybody seeing this actually provide 1 video.. 1, fire fight between the 2 countries? With all of the social media out there. Just doesn’t make sense. Any of this shit in the last, 2 plus years.
Screw Klitschko for this outcry. Bivol, nor any other Russian athlete, has anything to do or say about whether this war continues or stops. Wlad’s being a total dick right now.
Food for thought: Maybe Bivol does not support the Russia invasion of Ukraine. Keep the politics out of this matchup and focus on the sport. Just because someone is Russian does not mean they may agree with their government’s endeavors.
agreed dont forget Ukraine was once apart of the soviet union aka USSR we all saw them as russian
You are correct.
Ban the Klitchkos for their boring forgettable performances, their corruption, and their attempt to contaminate sports with their political gall.
And he is not even ethnic Russian for crissakes.
Leave DB alone,each person got own life to live.He knows his own situation.
lets keep this about boxing people do not bring in politics into this forum this should bring an automatic ban if continued
Hi, the article is about politics….now do you NOT GET THAT?? Go ban yourself!
What a load of nonsense! It’s not Bivol’s fault whats going on in the world.. Plenty of american fighters fought when the US illegally invaded Iraq, Syria, Libanon etc etc…
Thats ridiculous! It isnt Bivols fault and he may not even be pro Russian govenment. They should both just go man a machine gun and shut up.
Boxing is an individual sport. &
One can NOT punish people because of the terrible acts of terrible governments
Sorry Klitschkos, you got it wrong this time. Most of the world is supporting Ukraine in this senseless war, but what you gain attacking an innocent man that has nothing to do of what his country is doing against yours?
A strange truth. Russia continues to send gas to W. Europe, mostly to NATO countries, and increased supply since the invasion started. Much of it still transits Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian managers and technicians still cooperate 24 hrs. Russia is still paying transit fees.
Are the Klitschko brothers advocating that every Russian athlete be sanctioned? – or every Russian individual? They are not the bad guys here – anymore than a working family in Moscow is or a new immigrant living in New York city. All have a right to earn a living without being cast out because of their nationality.
That seems to be exactly what they are saying. It’s almost like Ukraine is filled with a bunch of racist neo Nazi assholes that think every member of a country should be punish because of their leader.
What propaganda. What lies.
You sound like a Russian. There are no neo-nazis in Ukraine, that is Putin talk and lies don’t help anyone, so stop. I don’t agree with Wlad here unless Bivol has shown support for Putin, but nonsense like this should never be tolerated.
A strange truth. Russia continues to send gas to W. Europe, mostly to NATO countries, and increased supply since the invasion started. Much of it still transits Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian managers and technicians still cooperate 24 hrs. Russia is still paying transit fees.
Why are we supporting Ukraine? It’s a country filled with neo-nazi’s and has helped the United States with bio-weapons labs “38” total in Ukraine. Fauci & gang know there time is almost up.
You sound like a Russian or neo-nazi yourself. Ukraine has far fewer neo-nazis than the US or Germany. There is no part of Ukraine that supports neo-nazis. Get a clue.
I lived in Nikoleav for 2 years. I have seen it on the streets. Your problem – Turn off the TV, they lie all the time.
I was a big fan of the Klitschko brothers as boxers but not as people.
Especially Wlad.
watch Bivol fight with a “Z” on his shorts lol.
Klitchko, why punish the athlete? He didn’t make decision to go to war.. he is in peak of career earning money and a boxer only has so much time to earn a living in this sport.. don’t do that.. stay out.. let us watch this fight.. and he earn his living while he can..
klitchko is knee deep in the nazi shit. He should keep his mouth shut. Putin is liberating the Ukrainian people. IF Putin wanted he could crush the whole place in 15 minutes…he is very precice and controlled. FUCK KLITCHKO and his fake bullshit.
Sure thing Russian.
BTW Bivol is going to school Canola. EASY
Judges will still give it to Canelo by controversy tho.
Not happening. Wars happen all the time. Never good either, but it’s the way of life. Better yet, get close to God Almighty, the one and only true creator of our universe.
This is boxing!
Save all that political mumbo jumbo for fox news.
They tell you sheep anything on the idiot box and you run with it! Bunch of brainwashed zombies!
You shut up klitskho let these great fighters clash
God damn, retarded ass, woke klitschkos ruining stuff.
As sad as it is,be reminded that this is a boxing forum , not a a political venting room.
A crazy world we are in right now.
Peace to you all
Klitschko is boxing’s kapernick
America, because of its shameful racial history and inequitable treatment towards Native Americans and black people (centuries of human rights violation), its tolerance, promotion, preservation, and normalization of white supremacy, and its own history of invading sovereign nations unprovoked (Iraq and Afghanistan), is in a morally inferior position in this or any other conflict. Maybe American fighters like Canelo should be sidelined from fighting outside this country?
I think it best we leave politics out of the sport of Boxing. This would be an advancement from earlier times in the sport and mirror the Olympics. I thought the Klitschkos were good ambassadors for the sport when they fought, but disagree with them here. Let Canelo and Bivol fight.
The Klitschkos need to shut the hell up and Singling out every Russian person! The Ukraine is crooked That’s where Hunter Biden was laundering money for his dad Joe, And Russia just found a Bio Chemical lab funded by the USA to spread viruses and cause atrocities like Wuhan!
The Bankers will ensure we stay in debt. The pharmaceutical companies will ensure we stay sick. the weapons manufactures will ensure we keep going to war. The media will ensure we are prevented from knowing the truth. The Government will ensure all of this is done legally.
Ironically, the Azov, which are the neo-Nazis in Ukraine, are financed by Israelis. Also, Ukraine is the first nation in the world outside Israel, in which their top two leaders, both president and prime minister, are Jewish! Truly bizarre situation in the corrupt nation of Ukraine!!!