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Dmitry Bivol Breakdown & Analysis

Writer's picture: Matt GoddardMatt Goddard
12 minutes ago4 min read

Background

Before Malik Zinad boxed the then-unbeaten superstar Dmitry Bivol, my good friend and Zinad’s coach for this bout, Will Jones, asked me to put together a comprehensive breakdown for boxing Bivol. With only a few weeks left until the fight, I focused on identifying weaknesses to exploit, strengths to work around, and opportunities to capitalize on. Below is that detailed breakdown...


Dmitry Bivol Strengths

  1. Excellent Range Management: Bivol doesn’t overcommit and maintains a varied, relaxed lead hand, allowing him to catch raiding attacks effectively.

  2. Lead Hand Dexterity: Uses his lead hand to occupy the opponent’s guard, manipulate hand positions, and create openings.

  3. Exceptional Fitness: He is extremely well-conditioned and maintains a high work rate throughout the fight with fast hands.

  4. Combination Speed and Variation: Combines speed with height shifts and varied punch angles to maximize effectiveness.


Dmitry Bivol Potential Flaws

  1. Low Lead Hand in Rhythm: When Bivol relaxes into his rhythm, his lead hand sits lower and bounces just out of sight. This lures opponents into attacking but also leaves his left side exposed.

  2. Predictable Rhythm: Often throws with a continuous left/right pattern, utilizing height shifts but rarely doubling up punches to create or capitalize on openings.

  3. Over-Rotation on Left Hook: Over-rotates his left hook, causing his hand to fall out of position as his shoulder turns, leaving him exposed to a counter right hand. This is especially noticeable when he is bouncing.

  4. Falls In: When throwing fast combinations or when he thinks he has his opponent hurt, he often falls forward.

  5. Guard Drops After Combinations: Tends to bounce on the spot and drop his guard at the end of combinations. While this may be a trap, opponents who capitalized on this had success.


Defensive Strategy

  1. Active Lead Hand: Mimic Bivol’s active lead hand by keeping your lead hand long when his is long, forcing a larger gap and pushing him to attack first. Counter with a short right hand as soon as his front foot moves, keeping your left hand high and tight.

  2. Intercept, Don’t Parry: Avoid parrying, as Bivol exploits it repeatedly. Instead, catch and intercept punches.

  3. Neutralize the Left Hook: Roll with a lateral step to make his left hook miss, then immediately turn him to regain center ring. Counter with a cross if an opening appears.

  4. Raid & Evade: Attack with fast, relaxed punches (3–4 max) and disengage safely. Do not get greedy or overcommit.

  5. Smother the Cross: After catching the jab, step with an inside slip if the cross follows to close the space and smother his lead hand. Wrap him up high under the armpits to frustrate him.

  6. Finish with the Jab: End every sequence, offensive or defensive, with a fast, spear-like jab.

  7. Occupy His Gloves: Continuously jab at his gloves, alternating targets to keep him from preparing counters.

  8. Frustrate His Footwork: When he follows, pause to let him set his feet and then shuffle off (Ray Leonard style), frustrating him and drawing reckless attacks.

  9. Circle Right: Move to your right to keep rolling under his left hook. Force him to overcommit and walk into counters.

  10. Active Right Hand: Use your right hand actively to catch jabs and hooks. Keep it engaged, not static.


Offensive Strategy

  1. Jab with His Jab: Throw your jab simultaneously at his right glove when he jabs. This disrupts his rhythm and creates opportunities for follow-up attacks.

  2. Short Left Hook in Close: When inside, throw a short, snappy left hook and roll to your right under his right hook. Even if he doesn’t throw, this defensive habit will protect you. The short left hook works because Bivol’s right hand drops mid-attack.

  3. Split the High Guard: Use a sideways fist on uppercuts to split his guard. Follow with body hooks for an effective double-up, but disengage safely after landing.

  4. Feint and Jab Variations: Feint the jab to set up a left hook (keep chin low) or a body jab (with head off the center line). Vary your jab’s placement to keep him guessing and lower his guard as the fight progresses.

  5. Step and Shuffle: After a slip jab to your right, shuffle off without waiting to see if it landed. Stay mobile and unpredictable.


Key Combos

  1. 1-2 Upstairs, 1-2 to the Body: Jab-cross to the head, followed by a jab to the head and a cross to the body.

  2. Jab His Gloves: Jab his right glove, then his left glove, and follow immediately with a cross. Evade right after.

  3. Pull Counter: Use a pull counter, a technique Craig Richards used successfully multiple times.

  4. Right Uppercut in Close: Utilize the right uppercut, as seen effectively by Canelo and Arthur.

  5. Attack the Left Glove: Frequently target his left glove to neutralize his jab hand and push that hand back to guard.


What Followed

In spite of Zinad's unfortunate loss, it was a great experience to spend time studying a fighter and building such a comprehensive analysis in such a short time. Funnily enough, many of the things I recommended were used to great success by Bivol's first conqueror Artur Beterbiev.


If any coaches, fighters or boxing enthusiasts are interested in having fighter's analysed for up and coming bouts, for their own coaching or just to see where flaws may be in your own or an opponent's work, drop me a DM on my social media channels.


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