Dmitry Bivol not interested in Canelo Álvarez rematch

Dmitry Bivol doesn’t seem too concerned with a rematch against Canelo Álvarez. In fact, the WBA light-heavyweight champion is barely interested at all.

“If we need to do some fight, he doesn’t need to talk with the media, he needs to talk to Eddie Hearn,” Bivol says bluntly when asked about a second fight with the Mexican superstar. His focus right now is on a bigger challenge: his upcoming showdown with Artur Beterbiev. He’s got his eyes set on unifying the light-heavyweight division, not entertaining media chatter about fights that aren’t on the table.

It’s been over two years since Bivol and Canelo first met in the ring. Canelo, fresh off becoming the undisputed champion at super-middleweight, moved up to 175 pounds to take on Bivol. But the night belonged to the Russian, who put on a boxing clinic, taking Canelo apart. Not many people can handle the Mexican at any weight but Bivol made light work of it, winning by a wide unanimous decision. That loss still stings for Canelo, and he’s been open about wanting another crack at Bivol to avenge it.

But as far as Bivol is concerned, that fight is old news. When asked about the rematch, he shrugs it off. “I just don’t think about it at all,” he says. “I have my training camp, I have Beterbiev fight and then we will see. Just talks, talks.”

Bivol’s got more immediate concerns. His October 12 bout with Beterbiev, the WBC, IBF, and WBO champion, is one of the most anticipated fights in the light-heavyweight division in years. Both men are undefeated, and the stakes are high: whoever wins will hold all the belts at 175 pounds. For Bivol, that’s the fight that matters.

Canelo, meanwhile, remains a force at super-middleweight, holding three world titles. Just 11 days ago, he defended his belts with a solid performance against Edgar Berlanga. Bivol caught a few rounds of the fight but admits he didn’t watch it all. “It was a good fight,” he says. “Berlanga was bigger, but Canelo’s boxing skills are better, of course.”

Some have questioned whether Canelo, after such a long and successful career, might be on the decline. But Bivol doesn’t seem too concerned with that debate either. “I don’t know. I have my own way, he has his own way,” he says. “We could fight when I was available. More than one year we were waiting for an offer, but we didn’t get it. Doesn’t matter.”

For now, Bivol is content to keep doing things his way. If Canelo wants that rematch, he knows where to go. But until then, Bivol’s got bigger fights to focus on.