“Despise People Who Think This Guy Isn’t Entertaining”: Shawn Porter, Ariel Helwani, and Combat World Rejoice as Dmitry Bivol Claims TKO Win Over Zinad

Dmitry Bivol had a lot riding on him when he stepped inside the Kingdom Arena on June 1 against Malik Zinad at the Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang bill. While the WBA champion was a clear favorite going into the fight, he had to soak up all the pressure. Meanwhile, the challenger had to put on a splendid performance, and he had the perfect opportunity to shock the boxing community. However, that didn’t happen, as the Russian fighter defended his crown and set up a fight against Artur Beterbiev.

Bivol, 33, came into the fight on the heel of a victory against Lyndon Arthur last December. Zinad, on the other hand, had the fight of his night against Jerome Pampellone this April. However, the fight against Bivol turned out to be an uphill battle for the Libyan fighter, which he failed to surmount and lost the fight via knockout.

Dmitry Bivol displays measured strategy

Zinad showed his heart as he employed jabs early into the fight, whereas Bivol was as calm as they come. The champion remained calculative but exhibited his power as he dropped the challenger earlier in the very fight round with a combination. Bivol also showcased his movement as he evaded Zinad’s piercing jabs and shielded himself in the initial fights. In the third round, they met in the middle of the ring. But Bivol remained technically gifted and had a tight defense.

After dominating the fight for five rounds, the moment came in the sixth round when he unleashed a heavy left on Zinad and followed it with a right that rocked Zinad. After some devastating combinations and another heavy right after putting him on the ropes, the referee stepped in and called off the fight. With this victory, Bivol set up a fight with Beterbiev in October for all the marbles.

A dream matchup in the making?

Shawn Porter focused on the Queensberry vs. Matchroom score line, as he believed it was about time Matchroom would pull a win. But that didn’t happen. Before the Bivol fight, Queensberry was 3-0 up and Bivol edged them to 4-0. Porter wrote, “Matchroom might get just 1 win outta this thang!!”

Porter, a former 2x world champion, then lashed out at Bivol’s critics, who believed the light heavyweight fighter didn’t have a fan-friendly style. Bivol is essentially a technical fighter who employs jabs to set up combinations and fights mainly on the back foot. But he proved that he also knows how to rack up knockout wins. Porter declared, “WELL OK MR BIVOL!!!I despise people who think this guy isn’t entertaining.”

Ariel Helwani also stressed the unification fight with Beterbiev and the high stakes of the undisputed title. He also mentioned that the stoppage was due in the fight after Bivol had already floored Zinad in the first round. He said, “Well done, Bivol. Loooong overdue stoppage. The Beterbiev dream matchup lives on.” 

What do you make of this fight between Dmitry Bivol and Malik Zinad at the Deontay Wilder vs. Zhilei Zhang card at Queensberry vs. Matchroom 5×5? Let us know in the comments below.