Malik Zinad proved to be an exciting opponent for Dmitry Bivol, who took the fight on short notice after Artur Beterbiev pulled out due to an injury. The dup shared the ring during Riyadh Season earlier tonight.
In a fiery battle between both boxers, it looked like Zinad gave away his game plan way too quickly as he looked to fight behind the jab against Dmitry Bivol, who decided to use his left hook in response all night.
In the first round, Zinad showed great composure but did little against the high guard of Bivol, who dropped Zinad with a left hook in the last minute of the first round.
In the second round, Zinad once again had trouble out-jabbing probably one of the best in boxing, proving quite clearly that he may not have come up with a solid game plan. However, despite that, he was able to land a lot more than Bivol‘s previous opponents, making a solid case for himself against the guy who beat Canelo Alvarez.
Zinad’s approach in the third round prompted a more aggressive response from Bivol, who looked eager to finish the fight. The fourth round was no different, but constant jabs from Zinad kept Bivol hunting for that left hook. The round ended with a heated face-off, with both boxers raising the temperature with their intensity.
Zinad landed his best shot in the fifth round, connecting a clean 1-2, forcing Bivol to raise his guard and take a few steps back. The game of jabs continued, and even though most of Zinad’s jabs landed on the gloves, he looked competitive but showed some signs of fatigue by the end of the round.
Heading into the sixth round, it was over for Malik Zinad after he ate a clean left hook, followed by a combination of punches from Bivol, buckling his legs and leaving him open to a series of unanswered shots.
The referee had seen enough and stopped the fight with less than a minute left in the sixth round. With the victory, Bivol defended his WBA light-heavyweight title. The win also marked his first knockout win in over six years.
“Thank you guys for supporting. Thank you riyadh, thank you Riyadh season. Of course I am happy that I won, and I won this fight great, I think. My coach are happy, my team are happy.” He said in the post-fight interview.
What’s next for Dmitry Bivol?
Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev have agreed to face each other later this year for the undisputed light-heavyweight title.
After the fight, His Excellency announced that the undisputed title fight will take place on October 12 in Saudi Arabia.