Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk just got the title a few weeks ago! And now, he seems to have predicted who will become the next undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world. Initially, Dmitry Bivol was supposed to face Artur Beterbiev on June 1 at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but fate had other ideas! What happened?

Well, as the undefeated Russian with 100% knockout ratio was training for the undisputed clash, he suffered a ruptured meniscus, which ended up pushing the fight to a later date. While Bivol had to face Beterbiev’s replacement, Malik Zinad on June 1, the undisputed fight is supposed to happen on October 12, as per His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. However, the question is, which Russian is the heavyweight Ukrainian supporting?

A simple choice for Oleksandr Usyk!

The fight between Beterbiev and Bivol is set to be a blockbuster showdown, as two undefeated monsters collide in the ring. The excitement for the fight quadrupled when Bivol dominated Zinad throughout and dropped him in round 6 via a left hook, proving he is as capable of knockouts as his Russian counterpart.

So, when Oleksandr Usyk was asked about his thoughts on the upcoming fight during the Three Knockdown Rule podcast, shared on YouTube today, ‘The Cat’ chose Bivol as the potential victor. The Ukrainian champion said, “I guess, Bivol. He has good legs, good movement. I watched the fight with Canelo Alvarez. Good boxing, defending, counter-punch and combos”.

For the most parts, either fighter stands on equal grounds! While Beterbiev has managed to maintain a 100% knockout ratio, Bivol has defeated one of the greats in boxing Canelo Alvarez. So, as most people think, it will be a head-to-head contest, but if Usyk’s prediction is any evidence, Bivol might get the slight edge! Regardless, Bivol has explained how he switched tactics to fight Zinad.

Dmitry Bivol details strategy to defeat replacement after Artur Beterbiev pulled out

On May 3, a statement from Artur Beterbiev revealed he won’t be able to fight because of his injury! While unfortunate, then undefeated, Malik Zinad stepped in to keep the show going! While most fans were still banking on Bivol to clinch the victory, there lingered a slim possibility that the underdog could pull off an unexpected upset.

However, when Bivol revealed how he switched strategies after Zinad came in, it was clear, Zinad never stood a chance. In the post fight interview, Bivol said, “We are professional boxers, we have to change tactics at any moment and I had enough time to change my preparations for a different fighter to Beterbiev”.

Despite the wait, fans are in for quite the matchup on October 12 when Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol meet in the ring to produce the next undisputed light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. in 1999. Who do you think will win?